Dodgers News: JD Martinez Hopes to Avoid Injured List

Dodgers All-Star Designated Hitter, J.D. Martinez is holding out hope that he can avoid an IL stint with his hip/hamstring injury.

Dodgers 2023 All-Star DH J.D. Martinez is holding out hope that he won't have to go on the injured list with the new hamstring injury that took him out of Sunday's loss against the Cincinnati Reds early.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team is not placing the 35-year-old DH on the IL as of now, but if healing does not start soon, the team's hand may be forced. News came out saying that he will undergo an MRI to see the damage and the team is still waiting to make a final decision as of Tuesday afternoon. 

#Dodgers Dave Roberts said JD Martinez is not going on the IL as of now. But acknowledged lingering/recurring nature of ill-defined groin/hip issue is “concerning”

— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) August 1, 2023

Martinez is a huge reason for the Dodgers' success up until this point being the third-best bat in the lineup night in, night out. Hitting at a .260 average with 25 home runs and 75 runs batted in, the aged veteran has been a free agency steal.

Signing a one-year, $10 million deal in free agency, the Dodgers hoped that the three-time Silver Slugger could regain his once stellar bat, and he did. Martinez is holding out and hoping to heal quickly so he can help his team separate in the NL West race and gear up for a long post-season run.

After the three-game series against the Oakland Athletics, the team will travel to San Diego to take on the Friars in a four-game series. 

Hopefully, if the healing goes well, the power-hitting DH can rejoin the lineup against the Padres. If the lingering nature of the injury is persistent, then the Dodgers may have to place the veteran on the injured list and look at in-house talent to replace his .872 OPS in the lineup at the DH spot. Michael Busch would likely be called up if that were the case.