Reds should watch two former pitchers in today’s playoffs with free agency looming

Baseball fans have a full-slate of postseason games to watch on Wednesday afternoon. Both the National League and American League Division Series are on today's docket, and two former Cincinnati Reds pitchers will be at the center of the action.

Tyler Mahle will get the ball for the Atlanta Braves in a must-win Game 4 against the Los Angeles Dodgers at 6 p.m. ET. Then, former Reds do-everything-pitcher Nick Martinez will get the start for the Tampa Bay Rays as they look to sweep the New York Yankees right out of the playoffs. Game 3 of the ALDS begins at 8 p.m. ET.

Mahle was Atlanta's most significant trade deadline pickup this summer, and Martinez became an All-Star during his first season in Tampa Bay. Interesting enough, both players will be free agents after the postseason concludes.

Reds should target both Tyler Mahle, Nick Martinez in free agency

The Reds could certainly use some pitching depth heading into next season, and either one of Mahle or Martinez would be a worthwhile signing this offseason. Cincinnati's own starter, Brady Singer, is scheduled to join Mahle and Martinez on the free agent market this winter, and the Reds will be without Hunter Greene in 2027 while he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

That leaves Cincinnati without much in the way of a starting rotation. Chase Burns will obviously be the team's ace in 2027, but beyond that, the Reds are left with a lot of question marks.

Nick Lodolo landed on the injured list twice in 2026 and put up the worst numbers of his career. In just 21 starts, the lanky lefty pitched to a 4.97 ERA and a 5.70 FIP while striking out just 17% of the batters he faced.

Andrew Abbott certainly took a step back from his All-Star campaign in 2025. The 27-year-old made 32 starts and covered 166 innings, but he walked 4.12 batters per nine innings pitched — nearly a two point jump from 2025. His 4.61 ERA and 18% strikeout rate were also extremely underwhelming.

Rhett Lowder struggled during his first full season in the big leagues. Much like Lodolo and Abbott, he failed to get swings and misses (17.1% K rate), and his uninspiring 5.74 ERA and 4.71 FIP left the Reds front office and coaching staff with more questions than answers.

The Reds need a quality veteran to pair alongside Burns atop the rotation heading into 2027 if they're to have any hope returning to the postseason. Mahle was stellar for the Braves down the stretch (1.99 ERA, 3.59 FIP), and Martinez, at 36 years old, put up the best numbers of his career this past season with the Rays.

Because Mahle was traded mid-season and Martinez received a qualifying offer from the Reds in 2024, neither player will have draft compensation attached to their signing this coming winter. Cincinnati's front office should take a long, hard look at both pitchers as they prepare to revamp their rotation heading into 2027.

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