More than one rival executive at the general managers meetings a couple weeks ago marveled at the $21. 05 million risk the Cincinnati Reds took by making a qualifying offer to free agent Nick Martinez after he declined his $12 million player option for 2025. “I couldn’t believe it,” one said.
“He’s certainly going to accept, right? ”In fact, Martinez did accept — the only one of 13 free agents to accept a QO made by his team this week. But it wasn’t certain at the time.
Agent Scott Boras said he fielded multiyear offers early in the process, and Martinez, 34, was fresh off a career season for the Reds, earning the team’s pitcher of the year award in a vote of local baseball writers. But the bigger point of the risk for the low-budget Reds in making the offer? “I wouldn’t say there was a risk,” team president Nick Krall said.
“Either we were going to get a guy for a one-year deal for $21 million that we felt was the market for this guy, or we were going to get a draft pick out of it when somebody else signed him. ”Reds Elly De La CruzLong and short of how Elly De La Cruz plays critical role in Cincinnati Reds rebound plansReds television 2025What Cincinnati Reds’ move to MLB for TV broadcasts means for fans in 2025Broadcast revenue losses related to leaving their longtime cable partner during bankruptcy turmoil doesn’t help the math for a Reds payroll budget that officials say is staying the same as 2024 levels (roughly $100 million). “We’re still working through it,” Krall said.
But a team with newly hired star manager Terry Francona and playoff hopes got a significant rotation boost with the return of a pitcher who went 10-7 with a 3. 10 ERA in multiple roles last season — including going 5-2 with a 2. 42 ERA in an 11-start finish to the season and earning NL pitcher of the month honors for September.
“We’re really excited to have him back,” Krall said. “You get a one-year deal on a guy that’s got a chance to be a solid part of your rotation. ”Martinez was 20-15 with a 3.
31 ERA with 35 starts and nine saves over the past three seasons (two with the Padres) since spending four years pitching in Japan. He said he went from wanting to prove he belonged in the rotation to embracing the value of his versatility over the course of the 2024 season with the Reds and along the way earned an influential place in the clubhouse. “He took the ball whenever you wanted him to, and had no issues with whatever role you put him in,” Krall said.
“He was a great team guy. And good teammate. Really good guy in the clubhouse.
But it was the lead-by-example guy that you really just want to watch. It’s the way that he goes and does his in-between-starts stuff, it’s the way he goes about working out, making sure he’s ready to go whenever you need him in whatever role you need him. ”It’s hard to measure the value of that in a rotation mix that includes Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott and rookie Rhett Lowder, none of whom pitched in the majors before 2022.
Martinez said he’s open to re-engaging on multiyear talks he had with the team before it extended the QO. Sources say talks aren’t happening now and not expected at this point. “We would be open to it,” Krall said.
“Just not sure exactly where we’re going to match up. ”Meanwhile, Krall said he’s still looking for more pitching this winter. Eye on prospect Luis MeyThe Reds added two prospects to the 40-man roster this week at the deadline for making such moves to protect eligible players from exposure in next month’s Rule 5 draft.
One of those is right-hander Luis Mey, 23, who pitched as high as Double-A in 2024, throws 100 mph and earned Arizona Fall League Reliever of the Year honors this fall. “He’s got a chance to be a dominant back-of-the-bullpen type guy,” Krall said. “We’re really excited.
He’s going to come in (to spring training) with a chance to compete. Just knowing that he ended (well) in Double-A who knows what’s going to happen when he gets to camp. “He showed he could throw strikes in the fall league.
He’s really progressed from where he was early in the year to all the way to the end of the fall league. ”Versatile infielder Tyler Callihan, who finished the season at Triple-A Louisville, also was added to the roster and will be in his first big-league camp next spring. Non-tender decisions due FridayThe next big deadline day for the Reds is Friday when they’ll have to decide which of the seven arbitration-eligible players they’ll retain through the arbitration process or non-tender: catcher Tyler Stephenson, infielder Santiago Espinal, outfielder Jake Fraley and pitchers Ian Gibaut, Sam Moll, Alexis Diaz and Nick Lodolo.
Krall said the team has had contract discussions with “several” this week, and “it’s up in the air” whether any deals get done ahead of the deadline. This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
