MLB teams can never have enough pitching depth, or so the old adage goes. It’s a concept that every MLB franchise has learned in recent years, and front offices have adapted accordingly.
Knowing that they’ll likely need added arms this season, particularly in light of the news that ace left-hander Shane McClanahan will be working under an innings limit this year as he returns from two lost seasons to injuries, the Tampa Bay Rays took a step towards adding more pitching depth on Monday. The Rays have reportedly agreed to a one-year, $13 million deal with 35-year-old right-hander Nick Martinez.
The team has yet to confirm the signing.
Nick Martinez Adds Versatility to the Rays’ Rotation
The Miami-born Martinez was originally an 18th-round pick by the Texas Rangers in the 2011 Draft. He’d debut in the majors in April 2014 and spent four seasons in Texas with mixed results, posting a 4.77 ERA (91 ERA+) over 415.1 IP (88 games, 68 starts) with subpar peripherals (5.1 K/9, 13.0 K%).
After the 2017 season, Martinez had the opportunity to head overseas and spent the next four seasons in Japan’s NPB, playing two years with the Nippon Ham Fighters and two more with the Softbank Hawks. His 3.02 ERA across 378.1 IP was enough to attract attention from MLB teams, opening the door for a return to the majors for the 2022 season.
Martinez spent two years with the San Diego Padres and then the last two with the Cincinnati Reds, working effectively in a swingman role. He was 10-7 with a 3.10 ERA (142 ERA+) over 142.1 IP in 2024, before opting out of the second year of his free agent deal and accepting Cincinnati’s qualifying offer. He’d go 11-14 with a 4.45 ERA (103 ERA+) in 165.2 IP this past season.
The Rays Needed to Add Pitching Depth
While Martinez isn’t an offseason-changing kind of addition, it’s still an impactful move for a Rays team that could use the added pitching depth.
Martinez likely fits into the fifth spot in the team’s Opening Day rotation, which will allow the club to send Joe Boyle and Ian Seymour to Triple-A to start the season and likely places Yoendrys Gómez in the bullpen, where he can provide help as a long reliever. The addition may also lessen some of the burden on fellow free agent signee Steven Matz, who has worked just 121.0 IP over the last two seasons (between injuries and a move to the bullpen).
Drew Rasmussen (a lengthy injury history), Ryan Pepiot, and McClanahan (the aforementioned injury history and innings limit) are expected to hold down the front of the team’s rotation, but none are certain locks to make 30+ starts for the team.
Rays Add Versatile Pitching Depth