On Friday afternoon Nick Martinez made what nearly assuredly might be his last outing of the 2024 season. He threw eight innings in a whole recreation, 1-0 loss towards the Cubs. The Cincinnati Reds starter didn’t stroll anybody and he picked up three strikeouts on the day.
Together with his season now seemingly full, he finishes the 12 months with 142.1 innings pitched, a 3.10 ERA, 18 walks, and 116 strikeouts. It’s these latter two numbers which might be vital to this text and the file set by Nick Martinez in 2024. I’ll start with the disclaimer that this gained’t present up within the official file books as a result of to be there a participant must have certified for the ERA title and most pitchers at the moment merely don’t throw sufficient innings to do this as of late. Martinez, who spent a part of the 12 months within the bullpen, didn’t throw sufficient innings to make that minimize.
But when we push issues all the way down to the 140-innings pitched mark, then Nick Martinez’s strikeout-to-walk ratio this 12 months of 6.44 is well the most effective by a Cincinnati Reds pitcher of their historical past. Of the 543 pitchers within the franchise’s historical past to throw 140 or extra innings in a season, solely 5 of them have had a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.00 or higher.
Johnny Cueto was the final pitcher to succeed in these marks when he did so in 2015 with a 4.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Earlier than him it was Aaron Harang again in 2007 with a 4.19 mark. Gary Nolan obtained there in 1976 with a 4.19 mark as effectively. And the earlier file holder earlier than Nick Martinez got here alongside was The Ol’ Left-Hander, Joe Nuxhall. Again in 1963 he had a 4.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Martinez has a participant choice for the 2025 season. If he workouts it the Reds pays him $12,000,000. However after the season he simply put up there appears to be no logical purpose he would do this. Free company will earn him way over that. There’s additionally the chance he declines his choice and Cincinnati would make him a qualifying provide. How a lot that’s at this level is unknown, however it has been someplace within the $18-21,000,000 vary over the previous few years.
What Martinez would do if that have been on the desk might change his thoughts about free company at age 34. After all at age 34 and coming off of his greatest season it could even be the final likelihood he will get at a very good, multi-year contract, too.
