J.D. Martinez pulling closer to elusive Triple Crown
J.D. Martinez's first season with the Boston Red Sox has been nothing short of spectacular, and now the slugger has hit his way into contention for one of Major League Baseball's rarest accomplishments.
Martinez leads the majors in home runs and RBIs, and sits second in batting average as he looks to become the 16th different Triple Crown winner of all time and the first since Miguel Cabrera claimed the honor in 2012.
LAST 5 TRIPLE CROWN WINNERS
| YEAR | PLAYER | TEAM |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Miguel Cabrera | Tigers |
| 1967 | Carl Yastrzemski | Red Sox |
| 1966 | Frank Robinson | Orioles |
| 1956 | Mickey Mantle | Yankees |
| 1947 | Ted Williams | Red Sox |
After going 3-for-4 with one RBI on Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays, Martinez raised his batting average to .332, surpassing Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve for second in the American League. He only trails teammate Mookie Betts (.340) for the league lead.
Martinez holds a one-homer advantage over Cleveland Indians infielder Jose Ramirez and has 10 more RBIs than Oakland Athletics outfielder Khris Davis. Martinez established personal records in home runs (45) and RBIs (104) last season, while his best batting average came in 2014 (.315). He is currently on pace to establish new career highs in all three categories.
Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski are the only other Red Sox players to have won the Triple Crown.