Reds Beat: Nick Martinez Shows He’s Comfortable As ‘One Of Five Horses On The Team’

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Nothing like a little positive reinforcement to get your spring training off to a good start.

Three hours after manager Terry Francona tabbed Nick Martinez a starter in the Reds rotation, the 34-year-old right-handed veteran went out and showed why the Reds manager has such confidence in him. Martinez started and threw 35 pitches (26 strikes) on the afternoon, allowing two hits and striking out three in two scoreless innings in San Francisco’s 5-2 win before 8,196 at Scottsdale Stadium.

Martinez was 5-5 with a 3.84 ERA in 16 starts, with a very impressive 1.13 WHIP in 2024. But David Bell turned to him 26 times in relief because of his 5-2 record that included 1.86 ERA and 0.863 WHIP.

Francona made it clear that those innings as a starter are more valuable with the arms that the Reds added to the pen in the winter.

“I think we certainly view him as a starter,” Francona said. “I know there’s some versatility there. I know he’s willing to do it, but I don’t know that bouncing guys around, unless you have to, is… what we’re shooting for.”

“I like what comes with the reliever and the prep that comes with being a starter. So again, my focus is just winning ballgames,” Martinez said. “I think for an athlete, we really love being relied upon and counted on. So yeah, that definitely brings a lot of confidence.”

Francona and others in the organization hinted all winter that Martinez likely projects as a starter in 2025. Francona took all uncertainty away Sunday morning before the team left for Scottsdale. What Martinez did on the mound Sunday only cemented those instincts.

Martinez struck out the side in the first inning, throwing 14 pitches – all strikes – and allowing just a single to left by Willy Adames. In the second, he showed he was human, throwing ball one to Wilmer Flores. In the second frame he recorded two fly ball outs and ended the inning when Austin Wynns threw out Patrick Bailey trying to steal second.

“I felt good, really good,” Martinez said. “I thought I did a really good job of just attacking the zone and challenging hitters really often. I worked really hard on throwing the ball over the plate and command. So something that I that I work on every off season. And so it was a focus of mine to challenge hitters and throw over the plate. And I just got into a really early groove.”

Afterward, Francona’s praise was effusive, including his ability to hold runners at first.

“I’m learning quickly. He’s a pro. He’s a pro’s pro. He does everything,” Francona beamed. “I told him the other day, I watched him warm up. I watched him face hitters. It was like it was a clinic. He held the runner, gave our catcher a chance to get out of an inning. It’s amazing when you do those types of things. Just gives you so much of an advantage. Just takes away a weapon for the other teams.”

“I always come into camp as a starter,” Martinez said. “Obviously I’m gonna get everything I got. I do prefer being a starter, but again, if something happens that we need some help in the bullpen, I’m up for that.”

After the game, Francona offered caution before penciling Martinez into the rotation to start the season.

“I don’t want to just start singling guys out. That’s doesn’t seem to make sense. As we get into camp and everybody’s healthy, you’ll start to see guys slot and we’ll be more vocal about it but let’s let them go through a couple turns,” Francona said.

Still, the Sunday support from Francona won’t change Martinez’s approach.

“No, no, no. Again, it’s something I preferred,” Martinez told me. “I prefer starting. I like the prep that comes with it, the chess game that comes with starting. I like being relied upon every five days, one of the five horses on the team. So that’s what I prefer. And I try to keep that mentality whatever role I’m playing.”

Santiago Espinal, who homered Saturday against Milwaukee, tripled Sunday and scored on a balk in the fourth inning. Rece Hinds also tripled and scored in the seventh.

Rising prospect Cam Collier doubled in his first at-bat in the third.

San Francisco catcher Patrick Bailey had a tape measure solo homer to right off reliever Jose Acuna that landed above the sun deck over 400 feet away.

The Reds host the defending World Series champion Dodgers Monday afternoon at 1 p.m. local time at Goodyear Ballpark.