Veteran J.D. Martinez Delivers Homer, Advice

J.D. Martinez slugged a two-run homer to cap a three-run third inning, the big blow in a 5-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Friday night. The designated hitter has four home runs in his last 10 games and a five-game hitting streak in which he’s gone 8-for-20. This was news to him.

“I didn’t know any of that stuff, but thank you,” he said when informed of the hot streak in a post-game interview with SNY on the field. “I don’t know. I’m just up there. I’m just trying to hit the ball hard. That’s all I can do. After it leaves my bat, I got no control over it. So just going up there, trying to get a good pitch and hit the ball hard.”

In addition to his key hits of late, the 37-year-old with 16 homers and a .785 OPS is advising his younger teammates on how to focus in the midst of a playoff race. Martinez has been to five postseasons, including a World Series-winning run with the Boston Red Sox in 2018.

“It’s just being able to talk to the guys and relate to them about kinda how it all plays out,” he said. “You know, it’s easy right now for these young guys to get kinda caught up in the standings and looking at it all and one thing I preach is let the media and the fans click at that.”

The Mets (71-64) are three games back of the Braves for the final wild-card spot. For the standings, click here (unless you are a player on the Mets).

“Let’s just, us, we focus on us,” Martinez said. “And just keep going, having fun and whatever happens, happens. By us looking at the standings, it ain’t gonna make us win more, you know. And us kinda peeking over is not gonna make us play any better. We are gonna play better by going out there and playing, you know, free. And not putting any pressure on ourselves and going out there and just enjoying it.”

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Like many before them this season, the Mets enjoyed their first game on the South Side of Chicago, sending the White Sox to their 105th loss before 15,288 die-hards at Guaranteed Rate Field.

“I think we came out ready,” Martinez said. “I think (Tylor) Megill came out, pitched a good game, you know, gave us a chance. The bats, we found ways to get guys on base and especially that (third) inning with two outs being able to tack on some runs there with two outs and just keeping the pressure on throughout the game.”

He talked to reporters some more about the advice he is passing on, especially after losses.

“It’s just one of those things where you just gotta remind the guys, like, ‘Hey, who cares? We lost. We want to win. We gave it everything we got. We lost. It happens. We’re gonna lose again. We’re probably gonna lose again after that. It’s part of playing the game.

“So for me it’s just going out there and telling these guys like you know I’ve told them over and over is like, ‘Guys we’re not supposed to be here.’ You know go back, I keep coming back to this story, you know. But the beginning of the year when I got here no one was expecting us to be anywhere near the playoffs and here we are in the thick of it.”

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