Martinez (back) is starting Saturday's game against the White Sox, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez was a late scratch Friday due to back spasms, but he'll return to the lineup following a one-game absence. He'll serve as the designated hitter and bat fifth.

Martinez was scratched from Friday's lineup against the White Sox due to back spasms, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez was visiting with trainers ahead of Friday's game, and he'll ultimately be unable to start. It's not yet clear whether he'll be available off the bench, but Kyle Schwarber will serve as the designated hitter while Danny Santana enters the lineup in left field.

Martinez went 3-for-5 with a home run, a double, three RBI and an additional run in Sunday's 11-5 loss to Cleveland.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez's strikeout rate (30.4 percent) has been on the rise over his past 10 games, but it hasn't hindered him much from a production standpoint. During that stretch, Martinez is slashing .318/.348/.523 with two home runs, nine RBI and five runs. According to Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, Martinez will remain in the lineup for Monday's series opener with the Rays, starting in left field and batting cleanup.

Martinez went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's win over Cleveland.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez made his presence felt when it mattered the most. With the game tied 2-2 in the top of the 10th inning, the veteran slugger blasted a three-run bomb off reliever Nick Wittgren and building a lead the Red Sox wouldn't relinquish the rest of the way. It was Martinez's 24th long ball of the campaign, but perhaps even more importantly, he managed to end two droughts -- an 0-for-18 slump and a nine-game homer drought.

Martinez isn't starting Friday's game against Cleveland, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

EDGE Analysis

Martinez will get a chance to reset in Friday's series opener after he went 0-for-18 with a run, a walk and six strikeouts across the last four games. Rafael Devers will serve as the designated hitter while Bobby Dalbec starts at third base.

Martinez went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run and a walk in Sunday's 6-2 win over Baltimore.

EDGE Analysis

The 33-year-old got a start in left field Sunday as the Red Sox continue to be cautious with Kyle Schwarber's return from a hamstring injury. Martinez put the Red Sox ahead with his first-inning blast, and the lead never flipped after that. He's homered in consecutive contests to give himself 23 for the year, along with 79 RBI, 76 runs scored, 32 doubles and a .293/.359/.545 slash line through 476 plate appearances.

Martinez went 2-for-5 with a double and a three-run home run in Saturday's 16-2 rout of the Orioles.

EDGE Analysis

He turned around an Adam Plutko pitch in the fifth inning for his 22nd homer of the season, part of a five-homer, 17-hit rampage by the Boston offense in support of Chris Sale during the southpaw's first big-league start in almost exactly two years. Martinez has been feast or famine so far in August -- he has four multi-hit performances in 10 games and also four goose eggs -- but the former has outweighed the latter, leading to a .333 (14-for-42) batting average on the month with 10 RBI.

Martinez will be on the bench for Friday's game against Baltimore, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kyle Schwarber will be the designated hitter in both his first game back from a hamstring injury and his first game as a member of the Red Sox. While designated hitter may be Schwarber's best fit on most teams, Martinez is clearly far too good to lose much playing time there going forward, so the Red Sox will have to play one of the two sluggers into the outfield (or potentially first base, in Schwarber's case) most of the time going forward.

Martinez went 4-for-4 with a double, a walk, three runs and two RBI in Wednesday's 20-8 win over the Rays.

EDGE Analysis

For the second time in three starts since being reinstated from the COVID-19-related injured list, Martinez came through with a four-hit performance. The two big days at the plate have helped compensate for an otherwise disappointing stretch of play for Martinez, who has tallied eight hits combined in his other 15 starts dating back to July 23.

Martinez went 4-for-5 with two doubles, three RBI and two runs Sunday in the Red Sox's 9-8 loss to the Blue Jays.

EDGE Analysis

Brought back from the COVID-19 injured list Sunday after a one-game hiatus, Martinez busted out with his third four-hit performance of the season. Prior to being deactivated for a day, Martinez had been in the midst of a prolonged slump, going 8-for-55 (.145 average) over his prior 14 starts. The Red Sox will need Martinez to re-emerge as the All-Star player he was in the first half if the team is to chase down the Rays for the American League East crown or hold its position in the wild-card race.