Mets J.D. Martinez may return to lineup vs. Braves, Chris Sale

ATLANTA — J.D.Martinez is a veteran of many important late-season games, but that experience doesn’t carry much weight as a slumping player.And Martinez is certainly slumping.He arrived at Truist Park on Tuesday in an 0-for-32 nosedive, prompting manager Carlos Mendoza to exclude him from the starting lineup against the Braves.

Jesse Winker was in the lineup as the Mets DH and went 0-for-4 in the Mets’ 5-1 loss.“We’re in a playoff run and I want to be in there obviously, but I just want to win — that is the most important thing,” Martinez said before the game.“We have got our best hand out there right now, the hottest hand and right now I haven’t been hot.

The other guys have been hotter.”Mendoza said there was a possibility Martinez would start Wednesday with lefty Chris Sale as the Braves’ scheduled pitcher.“I’m working hard and I’m too good a hitter to continue it,” Martinez said.“It’s one of those things where I have just got to keep chipping away and it will turn.”Martinez entered the day with an abysmal .271 OPS in September.

That included a 1-for-44 at the plate (his lone hit was a single)....