A couple of key players will miss this weekend's Boston Red Sox-Los Angeles Dodgers reunion at Fenway Park.
Dodgers slugger J.D. Martinez was placed on the injured list with groin tightness on Tuesday and will be unable to play against his former team. It would have marked Martinez's first game in Boston since leaving in free agency this past offseason.
Fellow 2018 World Series champion Joe Kelly will also be absent as he remains on the IL with a forearm issue. The Dodgers acquired Kelly from the Chicago White Sox before the 2023 MLB trade deadline.
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Martinez is in the midst of a bounce-back season with L.A. The 36-year-old designated hitter has a .256/.309/.547 slash line with 25 home runs and 78 RBIs in 92 games. He earned his third consecutive All-Star selection and his sixth altogether.
Rather than re-sign Martinez, the Red Sox chose to sign ex-Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner to a two-year deal worth $21.7 million. Turner, a first baseman/DH with Boston, has been worth every penny. Through 112 games played, the 38-year-old is hitting .288/.356/.488 with 20 homers and 79 RBIs.
Turner will be one of several ex-players from both teams taking the field for the three-game series. Here's the full list of ex-Red Sox and ex-Dodgers we'll likely see at Fenway Park.
Ex-Red Sox on Dodgers: Mookie Betts, Kiké Hernández, Ryan Brasier
Ex-Dodgers on Red Sox: Turner, Alex Verdugo, Connor Wong, Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin
We can expect a video tribute -- perhaps multiple -- along with some loud ovations from the Fenway Faithful. Betts, an MVP in Boston and an NL MVP candidate for L.A., hasn't played at Fenway since being traded to the Dodgers for Verdugo, Wong, and Jeter Downs in 2020.
The Red Sox will begin their series against the Dodgers on Friday after wrapping up their current three-game set in Houston.