Boston Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez arguably has been the hottest hitter in baseball early in the 2021 MLB season.
With his three-home run performance in Sunday's win over the Baltimore Orioles, Martinez extended his extra-base hit streak to eight games. That mark ties Martinez with Alex Rodriguez and Sandy Alomar Jr. for the longest extra-base hit streak to begin a season, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.
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Martinez will have sole possession of the record if he can notch an extra-base hit for the ninth straight game Monday vs. the Minnesota Twins.
After a rough 2020, it's safe to say Martinez is back to being the elite hitter he was for the Red Sox in 2018 and '19. He now leads MLB in doubles (7) and RBI (16), while being tied for the lead in homers (5). He trails only Twins outfielder Byron Buxton in slugging percentage (1.083) and OPS (1.583).
As for the Red Sox, they extended their win streak to six games and currently hold the top spot in the American League East with a 6-3 record.
