Red Sox rock Rays: Ranking the 3 players who shined vs Tampa Bay

No. 3: Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez heating up

Entering the season with a chip on his shoulder, Boston Red Sox DH J.D. Martinez is really starting to heat things up at the plate after starting off cold at the plate in the first two games against the Baltimore Orioles like the entire lineup.

But if there were any positives to take from that three-game sweep it was Martinez launching his first homer of the season which seemed to trigger his performance at the play on Monday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.

In the 11-2 victory, Martinez went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI, including this 3-run blast in the 8th inning off Rays reliever Chris Mazza.

https://twitter.com/RedSox/status/1379260113828085760

An early contender for bounce back player of the year, Martinez absolutely needs to bring it at the plate to keep this Red Sox lineup worthy and to also help some of the younger players in the lineup like Bobby Dalbec and Franchy Cordero.

When he is rocking at the plate it also helps some of the veterans on the team like Xander Bogaerts who certainly isn’t surprised at how Martinez has come out swinging.

"“I told you guys last year, you know I’m saying? I told you guys, bro.  Last year what you guys saw, man, it’s definitely not who he is,” Bogaerts said following the game, as transcribed by NESN. “This a guy that comes to work and he prepares so much.  I mean, he relies on his videos heavily, and that’s what it takes for him, that was what changed his career, and I was 100 percent that was the issue.  And this year, having that in game access (for) him just being able to take notice of his mistakes and get better during the game, at bat by at bay, so it’s pretty huge you know especially him carrying the team for now and until all the other guys start doing the job also.”"

In getting it going with the first hit of the game, J.D. Martinez certainly set the tone offensively and the man who complimented him above took things from there.