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Arizona Diamondbacks trade for Tigers slugger JD Martinez

Arizona Diamondbacks trade for Tigers slugger JD Martinez
Posted at 3:44 PM, Jul 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-19 08:05:30-04

The Arizona Diamondbacks have added a big bat to their lineup by acquiring Detroit Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez on Tuesday.

The D-backs have sent three minor-league prospects -- infielders Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcantara and Jose King -- to the Tigers in exchange for Martinez, who is set to become a free agent after this season.

Martinez has played in seven MLB seasons -- his first three with the Houston Astros and his last four with the Tigers. He's a career .283 hitter, and he set career highs with 38 home runs and 102 RBI in 2015. He missed the first month of the 2017 season with a foot injury he suffered during Spring Training.

Martinez is hitting .305 with 16 home runs and 39 RBI in 57 games played for Detroit this season, and he was named the American League Player of the Week last week. He was an All-Star Game selection in 2015.

Martinez will provide some needed offense to the D-backs, who are averaging nearly five runs per game this season but are averaging fewer than 2.6 runs in their last nine games. The D-backs are 53-39 this season but have lost eight of their last nine games.

The D-backs have struggled vs. left-handed pitchers throughout the season, as their .223 batting average vs. lefties is the second-worst mark in the National League. Martinez is hitting .474 vs. lefties this season.