Reds expected to move on from veteran pitcher this offseason

The Cincinnati Reds took steps towards contention last season but have since fallen on hard times again. Cincinnati's chances at the postseason are slim, as they sit 10 1/2 games back of the third National League Wild Card.

This coming offseason will be an important one for them as they try to build around a core of young starters that features Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott.

One key member of their pitching staff is a free agent this coming winter, and Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report expects them to move on from him.

"Nick Martinez has been an extremely effective swingman since returning from a four-year stint in the Japanese League prior to the 2022 season," Reuter wrote. "The 34-yeare-old has a $12 million player option for 2025 that he will likely decline in favor of more guaranteed years and money, and the Reds will likely go bargain hunting once again to fill out the pitching staff around their rising young arms."

Martinez has had a solid season with the Reds. In 38 appearances, he is 7-6 with a 3.67 ERA over 115 1/3 innings pitched. He also has fanned 93 batters and posted a 1.15 WHIP. 12 of his 38 appearances have been starts.

But since Martinez has performed quite well over the past few seasons, it's very likely that he will look for a longer-term deal. More than likely, a team with more financial resources will be able to give the veteran right-hander the deal he desires.

His market will be an interesting one to follow, as several teams could use a pitcher of his caliber to bolster their staff. He can start but also be used as a reliever and swingman, which is a valuable commodity.

We'll see what his market looks like and if the Reds will try to keep him, though Cincinnati doesn't often hand out long-term contracts.

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