Rays Sign Former Padres Hybrid Pitcher, Ending Reunion Possibility

The Padres had been looking to bring their former hybrid star back into the mix before he signed an expensive on year deal with the Rays.

Oct 8, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Nick Martinez (21) throws a pitch in the fifth inning during game two of the Wild Card series against the New York Mets for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Former Padres hybrid pitcher Nick Martinez has signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Tampa Bay Rays that includes a mutual option for 2027. Martinez last pitched in San Diego in 2023, when he logged 110.1 innings with a 3.43 ERA.

He then joined the Reds in free agency for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In Cincinnati, Martinez transitioned into more of a starter after spending much of his Padres tenure working out of the bullpen. He recorded two seasons with a combined start rate above 50% while still maintaining his effectiveness as a reliever.

I was really hoping the Padres would bring in Nick Martinez. The former hybrid Padre would be a perfect fit to boost the rotation. I’m surprised the Rays were in but had the ability to offer a full time rotation spot. The 1 year $13 million deal appears to be a deadline swap move

— Gregory Spicer (@Greg_Spicer_) February 9, 2026

Because of his continued development as a starter, Martinez became a popular name on the free-agent market this winter, and the Padres were certainly interested in a reunion. San Diego’s current rotation features just one reliable arm in Nick Pivetta. Michael King and Joe Musgrove both enter 2026 with significant health questions, Randy Vasquez is coming off a season with xERAs and xFIPs above 5.00, and J.P. Sears endured the worst season of his career in 2025.

Adding Martinez would have provided insurance for a rotation lacking depth, and if everything broke right with the current staff, he could have slid into the long-relief role he has excelled in throughout his career.

Not only was the fit good - the production was also solid in Cincinnati. Martinez was especially strong in 2024, when he started 16 of 42 appearances, threw 142.1 innings, and posted a 3.10 ERA with a 3.21 FIP. He suffered some regression in 2025 with an increased starter workload, finishing with a 4.45 ERA and a 4.33 FIP across 165.2 innings. Even so, his floor as a high-end reliever remains intact, and those numbers are respectable for a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Instead, the Padres will need to look elsewhere to bolster their starting pitching depth. Martinez’s $10+ million AAV was just too expensive for general manager A.J. Preller given that he still hasn’t fully proven himself as a starter, and his backup abilities as a reliever just didn’t appeal to San Diego’s front office as much as it did to Tampa. 

Other arms believed to be on the Padres’ radar include veterans Justin Verlander, Lucas Giolito and Zac Gallen, along with sleeper options such as Jose Quintana, Patrick Corbin and Chris Bassitt.

Missing out on Martinez eliminates what would have been an exciting reunion, but this offseason’s pitching free-agent class is one of the deepest in the last decade. Preller is still active and looking to find an arm within the Padres’ budget that can stabilize the rotation.