WASHINGTON — Boston Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez left Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Washington Nationals in the sixth inning with a sprained left ankle, and his availability for the postseason opener on Tuesday is not known.
After defeating Washington to clinch the American League’s top wild-card slot, Boston manager Alex Cora said he is unsure of Martinez’s availability for the game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park.
Martinez is usually a designated hitter but was playing right field in an NL park against the Nationals. He tripped over second base heading to his position in the bottom of the fifth inning but finished the inning.
Boston replaced him with a pinch hitter in the top of the sixth, and Hunter Renfroe moved from center field to right in the bottom half.
Martinez finished the regular season with 28 homers and 99 RBIs, as well as an AL-leading 42 doubles. Should he be available against the Yankees, he would almost assuredly assume the DH role against New York ace Gerrit Cole.
After Martinez left Sunday, Red Sox slugger Rafael Devers launched a two-run homer in the ninth inning to break a 5-5 tie en route to the win.
Devers’ second homer of the game — and 38th of the season — came on a drive to straightaway center field off Kyle Finnegan on a 2-1 pitch with one out after Kyle Schwarber reached on an error.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.