Former Padres Pitcher Makes Decision on 2024 Free Agency

Noah Camras | Nov 18, 2024

Sep 23, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Martinez (21) throws a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Ray Acevedo-Imagn Images / Ray Acevedo-Imagn Images

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San Diego Padres

Former San Diego Padres pitcher Nick Martinez has accepted his qualifying offer from the Cincinnati Reds for the 2024 season, per multiple reports.

Martinez's decision to accept the $21.05 million qualifying offer comes after a 2024 season in which he went 10-7 with a 3.10 ERA across 42 appearances (16 starts). It was a career-year for Martinez, and rather than testing the free agent market, the 34-year-old elected to take the one-year, $21.05 million deal.

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Martinez was originally selected in the 18th round of the 2011 MLB Draft by the Texas Rangers. He debuted with the Rangers in 2014, and was with the team until 2017.

Martinez struggled with Texas, sporting a 4.77 ERA across 240 appearances (103 starts) and 774.1 innings pitched. After the 2017 season, Martinez went to Japan, where he'd play for the next four years.

In March 2022, the Padres gave Martinez another shot in Major League Baseball. Martinez signed a three-year, $26 million with the Padres, and that move paid instant dividends for San Diego.

In 2022, Martinez went 4-4 with a 3.47 ERA across 47 appearances (10 starts) and 106.1 innings pitched. In 2023, he went 6-4 with a 3.43 ERA across 63 appearances (nine starts) and 110.1 innings pitched.

Martinez signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Reds last offseason. Then, he declined his 2025 option, and was rewarded with the qualifying offer.

Martinez will likely play a similar role for the Reds in 2025 as he did last year. The team will hope he has another career-year in 2025 as the Reds look to get back into playoff contention. The Reds went 77-85 in 2024, finishing fourth in the National League Central division.

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Published Nov 18, 2024

NOAH CAMRAS

Noah graduated from USC in 2022 with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in sports media studies. He is the lead editor for Inside the Padres. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, and has covered all Southern California sports in his career.