J.D. Martinez still out of Dodgers lineup, but not on injured list ... yet

LOS ANGELES — Dodgers designated hitter J.D. Martinez is out of the starting lineup on Tuesday night, two days after leaving Sunday’s game without taking an at-bat. He’s not on the injured list yet, but that could change if he doesn’t improve in a few days.

There’s also the matter of what exactly Martinez injured.

“He had a scan. It’s a lot of what he’s had before. There’s no new incident,” manager Dave Roberts explained. “From what I understand, it’s going to be a few-days situation. It’s not an IL right now, but could potentially be.”

The Dodgers on Sunday said Martinez exited with left hamstring tightness, the same malady that cost him two games on July 23-24. On Tuesday, Roberts couldn’t pinpoint specifically where Martinez was injured.

“I don’t even know — groin, hammy,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “It’s something we’re going to be able to avoid the IL. He felt better yesterday than Sunday, and he felt better today than yesterday. But I haven’t fully wrapped my arms around it yet. I’m just coming up for air [after the trade deadline].”

Martinez has been a boon to the Dodgers offense since signing a one-year, $10-million contract in December that’s looked like a bargain. He’s hitting .260/.310/.562 with 25 home runs, a team-leading 75 RBI, and a 129 wRC+. He ranks fourth in the National League in slugging percentage.

Martinez missed 15 games earlier this season on the injured list with back tightness.

“It’s his back, it’s his groin. It’s a lot of things he’s had in the past,” Roberts said of Martinez’s current malady. “J.D. is confident he’s in a better place than he was on Sunday.”