Starting pitcher Nick Martinez excelled for the San Diego Padres during the 2023 season, pitching to a tidy 2.32 ERA and holding opponents to a paltry .557 OPS, his 1.08 WHIP indicative of just how stingy he was at allowing opposing baserunners.
Reliever Nick Martinez excelled for the San Diego Padres during the 2023 season, too. He struck out 69 batters in 67.2 IP of relief work, his 3.14 K/BB a significant uptick from his work as a starting pitcher.
That’s the thing about Martinez - he’s a swingman with the ability to fill both roles. That made him especially attractive to the Cincinnati Reds as they head into the 2024 season, as they’ve got a bullpen that needs help wherever it can get it and a mix of talented, though yet undependable starting options around a lineup that’s ready to contend.