It’s a term often heard by DJs (Google it, kids) back in the 60s and 70s, when they actually played disks (records):

“And The Hits Just Keep On Coming!”

This, of course, was two decades before 36-year-old Dodgers outfielder J.D. Martinez was even born.

But you certainly wouldn’t know it by the way the popular 13-year MLB veteran is swinging the bat right now.

Just how hot is the guy affectionately called ‘Just Dingers’ right now? How about 13-for-39 (.333) in his last 10 games, with three home runs and 13 RBIs, including two home runs and five RBIs in Monday night’s 8-3 pounding of the (now) 70-80 American League Central third place Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium.

“Man, he’s such a threat, he’s such a professional hitter, and he’s had a tremendous year, as well,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Martinez postgame. “And it was a big void not having him (due to injuries). So, it looks like right now, we’re out of the woods and he’s taking very good care of himself. So, you know, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that, you know, that part of it is behind us, and that we can just have him in the lineup every night.”

“You gotta give protection for those guys up front. They’re the ones that kind of been carrying us all year. So, you get protection, it’s only going to extend our lineup a lot more,” Martinez told SportsNet KA’s Kirsten Watson after his remarkable three-hit/two home run/five RBI night.

Martinez’s career-high eight-RBI game occurred on August 23, 2019, while with the Boston Red Sox. That was the second of what would be five All-Star seasons (including this season with the Dodgers) for the Miami, FL native and 20th-round draft pick in 2009 by the Houston Astros out of Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale who was signed by the Dodgers as a free agent on December 29, 2022.

And then there’s the other old guy, 34-year-old Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, who became the first Dodgers first baseman in franchise history to reach the coveted 20-20 mark on Monday – 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases. The Villa Park, CA native and second-round draft pick in 2007 by the Atlanta Braves out of El Modena High School in Orange, CA stole his 20th base of the season in the bottom of the seventh inning on Monday night to go along with his (thus far) 26 home runs this season.

“This is one thing I never thought I’d do in my career,” Freeman told reporters postgame on joining the elite 20-20 Club. “But a lot of credit has to go to (Dodgers first base coach) Clayton McCullough. So much work goes into, before games, picking up patterns and pitchers, just situations of when to go and not to go. So, I have to give a lot of credit to him. I didn’t think that would ever happen in my career, so it was pretty cool.”

Don’t stop now, (old) guys!

Play Ball!

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