It has been a tumultuous month for Red Sox pitcher Chris Martin. After struggling with a high ERA of 5.56 in his first 11 appearances, Martin appeared to turn things around in May with nine consecutive scoreless outings, recording 10 strikeouts over nine innings.
However, a setback occurred when he allowed three earned runs, including two home runs, in a loss to Detroit on May 30, prompting him to take a mental health break—an uncommon occurrence in baseball but increasingly recognized in a demanding league schedule.
Martin made his return to the mound recently, pitching an eventful ninth inning with a four-run lead. The outing included what Sporting News described as “one of the wildest defensive plays you’ll ever see,” where Martin stumbled during a play against Vladimir Guerrero Jr., managing to make an acrobatic throw to first base while falling backward to secure the out.
Despite allowing one hit, Martin closed the inning without conceding a run. The Red Sox are hopeful that this performance signals his return to form as they approach the MLB trade deadline at the end of July. At 38 years old, Martin could be a valuable asset in potential trade discussions, though Boston’s recent strong performance—winning four consecutive games and six of their last seven—might influence the team to retain him.
The Red Sox offense, which struggled initially, has seen a resurgence, averaging 6.6 runs per game in their recent streak, with impressive contributions from rookie center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, who boasts a remarkable .615 batting average over the past seven games.
Whether retained as an eighth-inning specialist, a role he excelled in last year with a 4-1 record and a 1.05 ERA, or considered for trade, Martin aims to maintain focus moving forward, as he expressed earlier this week.
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