The Dodgers have been without their designated hitter, J.D. Martinez, for the last 11 games as he battles back from a lower back strain suffered in Chicago. Despite his absence, the boys have been playing well. The Dodgers are 8-3 over that stretch and have found all different ways to win games as guys like Chris Taylor and Miguel Vargas start to figure things out.
Still, this is a roster that’s much better with Martinez on it. And that could be happening within the next few days. In a recent update, JD is back swinging the bat and has taken batting practice the last couple of days.