While the majority of key Red Sox players are participating in a weekend exhibition series against the Rays in the Dominican Republic, a few have remained at the team’s spring training complex in Fort Myers to continue their preparations for the upcoming season. However, one of these players encountered what appears to be a minor injury on Saturday.
Setup man Chris Martin was slated to engage in a live batting practice session at Fenway South but left the mound after only throwing two warmup pitches, as reported by The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams. The team stated that Martin was withdrawn from the session as a precautionary measure due to tightness in his right groin. Manager Alex Cora may provide an update on Martin’s condition during his press conference in Santo Domingo at 2:25 p.m. ET.
Although the situation seems minor, it’s worth noting as Martin has yet to participate in a Grapefruit League game with Opening Day less than three weeks away. Cora has allowed both Martin and Kenley Jansen, the team’s relief veterans, to gradually increase their workload, meaning they are facing hitters and entering game action later than other relievers. Martin was expected to make appearances in several spring games in the upcoming weeks following his session on Saturday. However, it’s now uncertain if this injury will delay his progress, potentially putting Opening Day in jeopardy.
Losing Martin for any duration would pose a challenge for the Red Sox, given his role as the team’s most reliable reliever in 2023. The 37-year-old excelled as one of the top bullpen arms in baseball last season, boasting a remarkable 1.05 ERA in 55 relief appearances, leading all major league pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings pitched. He demonstrated excellent control, issuing just eight walks while striking out 46 batters, and enjoyed a 20-game scoreless streak from July 30 until the end of the season. Martin even received a Cy Young vote and finished 12th in the race.
The Red Sox have faced several injury setbacks in camp thus far. Notably, starting pitcher Lucas Giolito is believed to have sustained a serious elbow injury requiring surgery, causing him to miss the entire 2024 season. Second baseman Vaughn Grissom is also uncertain for Opening Day due to a groin injury, while outfielder Tyler O’Neill, right-handed pitcher Brayan Mata, and others have dealt with minor issues in recent days.
