Nick Martinez's offseason decision will force Reds to make inescapable commitment

The Cincinnati Reds season is winding down. And while a number of offseason decisions can't and won't be made until after the World Series, there's already an obvious committment that Cincinnati's front office must make.

Nick Martinez will surely skip out on the second year of his contract. This has become a bit of a habit for the veteran hurler who opted out of the final two years of his contract with the San Diego Padres last winter before signing with the Reds.

Martinez inked a two-year, $26 million contract with the Reds this past December. Martinez is taking home $14 million this season and has the opportunity to make $12 million in 2025. But if he chooses to opt out, Martinez is likely to add several more zeroes to his paycheck. Once the 2024 season officially comes to a close, look for Martinez to opt out his contract with the Reds.

Reds should extend Qualifying Offer to Nick Martinez this offseason

But that doesn't have to end Martinez's tenure in the Queen City, as the Reds front office has an ace up their sleeve that could be rather beneficial for both sides. If Martinez, as he's expected to do, exercises his ability to opt out of his contract, the Reds could extend a Qualifying Offer to the right-handed swingman.

What does that mean? Essentially, the Reds would be offering Martinez a one-year deal worth the mean salary of Major League Baseball's top 125 players. Last year, that salary was just north of $20 million. For those Reds fans who believe $20 million-plus is far to much to pay Martinez next season, don't forget that Cincinnati signed Frankie Montas to a $16 million deal last offseason after appearing in just one game. Starting pitching is expensive.

Should Martinez opt to reject the Qualifying Offer, the Reds would receive a draft pick as compensation. It's a win-win for both Martinez and the Reds organization.

While the Reds have several young pitchers the team can build around heading into 2025, having a veteran starter like Martinez (who can also serve as a reliever) could be crucial to the team's success next season. Bringing back Martinez should be near the top of the Reds' list of offseason priorities, and extending a QO is an easy way to ensure that happens.

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