Reds can’t afford to delay this Nick Martinez decision any longer

While it’s not exactly fair to say the wheels on the Cincinnati Reds’ season fell off during the latter-half of May, their 5-7 record since sweeping the Cleveland Guardians set the club up for a do-or-die June.

The month did not get off to an auspicious start as Cincinnati dropped the rubber match against the Chicago Cubs. Nick Martinez, who took the loss in that game, may be the next Reds player on the chopping block.

The Reds have already proven that they won’t shy away from early trades, and Martinez hasn’t delivered the lock-down pitching that the offensively troubled team needs in order to win. That’s not to say, though, that Martinez doesn’t have value on the market. Prior to Sunday’s loss, he had thrown six consecutive quality starts. He also has relief experience and could be the precise versatile piece that a contender needs.

Trading Nick Martinez while his value is still high may be the best move for the Reds

Part of the decision making in this case is, of course, related to money. Martinez became the highest paid Reds pitcher when he signed a $21 million qualifying offer this offseason; that’s a hefty sum to pay the player that is arguably your No. 4 starter. However, if you’re, say, the New York Yankees, you might want to pick up the tab on a guy who can fill a No. 4 starter role until your rotation mends from various injuries.

Whatever the Reds choose to do with Martinez, they’d better do it fast. The 34-year-old righty has regressed in nearly every category. His pitches are getting hit much harder, and his bread-and-butter combo of changeup and cutter have fallen off. Last season, they produced a combined plus-13 run value. This season, their run value is zero.

On a larger scale, Martinez is continuing to show signs of slowing. His K/9 are down 1.2 since last season, and his BB/9 is up 0.8. Still, he’s an effective pitcher, particularly when it comes to limiting home runs and battling through games. These are skills that could be appealing to any staff in need of a back-end starter. In return, the Reds could free up some salary space to pursue a power bat or an extension.

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