Nick Martinez signs with Cincinnati
Free agent (FA) Nick Martinez (33), who had a close relationship with Ha-seong Kim, wears the Cincinnati Reds uniform.
Local media, including ESPN, reported on the 1st (Korean time), “Right-handed pitcher Martinez signed a two-year contract with Cincinnati of the Major League Baseball (MLB) for a total of $26 million (approximately 33.8 billion won) for two years.”
Martinez receives an annual salary of $14 million in the 2024 season, the first year of the contract.
After the season ends, he can exercise his opt-out right to become a free agent, and if he stays in Cincinnati, he will receive $12 million in the 2025 season.
Martinez is a player familiar to Korean baseball fans.
He made a name for himself by playing for the Texas Rangers with Choo Shin-soo (now SSG Landers) from 2014 to 2017.
In 2018, he moved to Japan and experienced Asian baseball until 2021.
In 2021, when he was a member of the Softbank Hawks, he participated in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as a member of the U.S. baseball team.
At that time, Martinez started in the second game of the group stage against Korea and pitched well, allowing 1 run, 4 hits, and striking out 9 in 5 innings.
Martinez also started in the final match against Japan and pitched well, allowing 1 run in 6 innings, but had to be satisfied with winning the silver medal as he did not receive support from the batting line.
Martinez returned to the big leagues that winter by signing a four-year contract with San Diego for a total of $20 million, and he alternated between starting and bullpen roles.
This season, he appeared in 63 games and posted a record of 6 wins, 4 losses, 15 holds, 1 save, and an ERA of 3.43. 19가이드03