Martinez is slashing .340/.421/.580 through 13 games for Triple-A Gwinnett with two homers and seven steals in nine attempts.
The 28-year-old has also shown improved command of the strike zone with a 5:8 BB:K. Martinez fell short in his bid for a spot on the Opening Day roster, but he looks more than ready to step in should an injury hit the Atlanta outfield.
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Braves' J.P. Martinez: Sent down to minors
Rotowire
Martinez was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett by Atlanta on Friday.
He had a chance to win a backup outfielder job, but that role now figures to fall to Forrest Wall. Martinez was acquired via trade from the Rangers over the offseason and will provide outfield depth at Gwinnett to start the season.
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Braves' J.P. Martinez: Traded to Atlanta
Rotowire
Atlanta acquired Martinez from the Rangers on Friday in exchange for Tyler Owens.
Martinez, 27, got his feet wet in the majors last season, going 9-for-40 at the plate over 17 games. The outfielder sported an impressive .298/.418/.543 batting line with 14 home runs and 38 stolen bases in 2023 at Triple-A Round Rock. The left-handed hitting Martinez is capable of handling all three outfield spots and will compete for a reserve role in Atlanta.
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Rangers' J.P. Martinez: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
Martinez was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock on Saturday.
Martinez started seven of the Rangers' first nine games after he earned his first career call-up in mid-August, but he's since started just two of the last 16 contests and none of the last nine. His .225/.250/.325 slash line in 44 plate appearances overall didn't make a great case for more playing time, nor did his 2:16 BB:K. Infielder Jonathan Ornelas was recalled to take his place on the roster.
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Rangers' J.P. Martinez: Sitting again Wednesday
Rotowire
Martinez is out of the lineup again Wednesday versus the Mets.
Martinez got off to a hot start when the Rangers initially called him up from Triple-A Round Rock on Aug. 11, but he has tallied only one hit while striking out 10 times in his last 17 plate appearances. Travis Jankowski, Leody Taveras and Adolis Garcia will start across the outfield Wednesday as Mitch Garver serves as the DH.
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Rangers' J.P. Martinez: Knocks first homer
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Martinez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 7-6 extra-innings loss to the Twins.
Martinez's second-inning homer, his first of the year, snapped an 0-for-10 skid across his last six contests. The 27-year-old continues to operate as a reserve outfielder for the Rangers. He's slashing .281/.306/.406 with four RBI, seven runs scored and no stolen bases through 36 plate appearances this season. Martinez's best path to playing time remains in left field, where he can compete with Robbie Grossman and Travis Jankowski, though he was covering for a resting Adolis Garcia in right field Sunday.
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Rangers' J.P. Martinez: Held out of starting lineup
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Martinez did not start Wednesday for the first time in six games. He singled as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of a 2-0 loss to the Angels.
Martinez had one of three Texas hits in the shutout defeat. He's reached base safely in all six appearances since being called up Aug. 11 and has hits in five consecutive games. He was planned to be a brief replacement when the Rangers put Travis Jankowski on paternity leave, but Martinez played so well in the first series against the Giants he's stuck with the team longer than planned. A highly touted international signee in 2018, Martinez had struggled in the minors before breaking out at Triple-A Round Rock this season, slashing .312/.427/.565 in 67 games.
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Rangers' J.P. Martinez: Logs third multi-hit game
Rotowire
Martinez started in left field and went 2-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored in Monday's 12-0 win over the Angels.
Martinez, who started all four games since having his contract selected from Triple-A Round Rock, has multiple hits in three straight. He was brought up to the majors when primary left fielder Travis Jankowski was placed on paternity leave, but the Rangers optioned Jonathan Ornelas to the minors instead of Martinez when Jankowski was reinstated Monday. "J.P., he played every game (against the Giants)," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News. "He came up here, he did a nice job. He gives us some nice options coming off the bench if he's not playing. He's a good defender, plays all three outfield positions, [and] you saw the at bats, you saw the speed." It sounds like Martinez and Jankowski, who also plays all three outfield positions, will work in tandem in left field while giving rest to others when needed.
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Rangers' J.P. Martinez: Logs two hits in loss
Rotowire
Martinez started in right field and went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Sunday's 3-2 extra-inning loss to San Francisco.
The Rangers were stifled for 8.2 innings by Logan Webb before Martinez doubled and scored on Ezequiel Duran's infield single. Martinez had his contract selected from Triple-A Round Rock on Friday, when Travis Jankowski was placed on the paternity list, and went 4-for-11 with a walk and an RBI in three games. His MLB stint could be over once Jankowski returns.
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Rangers' J.P. Martinez: Selected from Triple-A
Rotowire
Texas selected Martinez's contract from Triple-A Round Rock on Friday.
Martinez has put up an excellent .311/.435/.558 slash line with 12 homers and 36 steals over 72 games this summer in the Rangers' minor-league system, but the 27-year-old outfielder might only be up for a brief cup of coffee while Travis Jankowski is away on paternity leave.
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Rangers' J.P. Martinez: Getting call to majors
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Martinez will be called up to the Rangers ahead of Friday's series opener in San Francisco, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports.
A highly publicized international signee out of Cuba in the spring of 2018, Martinez has broken through this summer at Triple-A Round Rock to the tune of a .312/.427/.565 batting line with 12 homers and 33 steals in 67 games. He can play all three outfield spots and might be able to carve out a semi-regular role in Texas with Ezequiel Duran and Josh Smith having to cover for Josh Jung (thumb) at third base.
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Rangers' Julio Pablo Martinez: Warming up
Rotowire
Martinez went 2-for-4 with his eighth homer of the season and seventh with High-A Down East on Wednesday, MiLB.com reports.
Martinez's overall numbers aren't great, but he's heated up recently after a rough start upon arrival at Down East. Since May 24, over 16 games, he's hitting .291/.381/.636 with six homers and four stolen bases. Alas, he still has 63 strikeouts in 187 plate appearances at Down East, good for a 33.7 strikeout percentage.
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Rangers' Julio Pablo Martinez: Promoted to High-A
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Martinez was promoted to High-A Down East about two weeks ago due to an injury to Bubba Thompson, but he has struggled so far in 15 games, hitting just .135/.217/.269 in 60 plate appearances, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.
Martinez is striking out a whopping 40.0 percent of the time at High-A and wasn't exactly tearing it up at Low-A Hickory, hitting .250/.295/.400 before getting moved up. It's an ominous sign to see a 23-year-old struggle so much against High-A pitching.
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Rangers' Julio Pablo Martinez: Likely headed to Low-A
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The Rangers are likely to assign Martinez to Low-A Hickory to begin the 2019 season, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Martinez was a consolation prize on the international market after the Rangers missed out on Shohei Ohtani last winter, ultimately signing with the organization for a $2.8 million bonus. Somewhat surprisingly, the toolsy outfielder never made his way to a full-season affiliate in 2018, but the 22-year-old is now expected to get his feet wet in the South Atlantic League after impressing in the Arizona Fall League prior to getting shut down with a groin injury. Now healthy again, Martinez should play center field for Hickory on an everyday basis and could move quickly if he's able to pare down his strikeout rate.
