Nick Martinez signs with Rays but Reds always had another plan ready

Nick Martinez is headed to Florida — both for spring training and the regular season. On Monday, Martinez signed a one-year, $13 million deal with the Tampa Bay Rays. A reunion with the Cincinnati Reds was always a nice thought, but Martinez essentially priced himself out of a return following his success the past two seasons.

Martinez signed a free agent deal with the Reds in December of 2023, and received a qualifying offer after a successful campaign in 2024. Martinez was paid over $21 million by the Reds last season and went 11-14 with a 4.45 ERA. The right-hander appeared in 40 games, including 26 starts and covered 165⅔ innings of work.

While his production dropped off last season, Martinez' versatility will be difficult to replace. Cincinnati will have a full-on competition for the fifth spot in the Reds rotation, and it's possible that one of the pitchers who falls short in that endeavor will take over the role Martinez held in 2025.

Nick Martinez deal with Rays officially opens up a spot on the Reds pitching staff

There are at least five candidates who'll be vying for the final spot in the Reds rotation. Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns likely have the inside track, but Brandon Williamson and Julian Aguiar will be in the hunt as well. Newcomer Jose Franco will get his feet wet this spring, and Chase Petty will be looking to bounce back following a horrific showing in 2025.

Provided there are no injuries, the bullpen is mostly set heading into Opening Day. Emilio Pagán will lock down the ninth inning as the Reds closer, while the trio of Pierce Johnson, Tony Santillan, and Brock Burke will be counted on to bridge the gap. Caleb Ferguson adds another left-handed presence to the Reds 'pen while Luis Mey and Zach Maxwell will be competing for a spot as well.

One player to keep an eye on as spring training unfolds is Graham Ashcraft. Though he was used mostly in high-leverage situations last season, Ashcraft has plenty of experience as a starting pitcher. It'll be interesting to see how much the Reds coaches attempt to stretch him out this spring, and if he'll take on the role of long man during the upcoming season.

Martinez may be off to Tampa, but the Reds have an abundance of players who are set to take over in his stead. The competition for that final spot in the rotation and the final spot in the bullpen should be fierce.