Tag Archives: Nick Martinez

Frankie Montas Agrees to One-Year, $16 Million Contract with Cincinnati Reds

Posted on by
Reply

Frankie Montas is in the Red(s)…

The Cincinnati Reds have added the 30-year-old Dominican professional baseball pitcher, agreeing to terms with righty on a one-year, $16 million contract, according to ESPN.

Frankie Montas The deal is pending a physical.

Montas missed most of last season for the New York Yankees after undergoing shoulder surgery in February. He was acquired by New York midseason in 2022 but struggled over eight starts in the final two months of that year, compiling a 6.35 ERA.

The bulk of his career was spent in Oakland Athletics where he had his best season in 2021, going 13-9 with a 3.37 ERA in 32 starts. The eight-year veteran has a career 3.90 ERA.

Montas made one appearance in the final weekend of the 2023 season after recovering from his shoulder ailment. It showed teams he was healthy leading into free agency.

He joins a Reds squad looking to improve on the mound. Cincinnati ranked 25th in ERA last season, mostly featuring a very young pitching staff. The Reds already added veterans Emilio Pagan and Nick Martinez this offseason as they attempt to take another step in their team’s development.

Cincinnati is likely to be one of the favorites to win the NL Central utilizing a young core of both position players and pitchers. MLB Network was first to report the agreement.

Jeimer Candelario Agrees to Three-Year, $45 Million Contract with Cincinnati Reds

Posted on by
Reply

Jeimer Candelario is seeing Red(s)… 

The 30-year-old Dominican American professional baseball third baseman has agreed to a three-year, $45 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds, adding the veteran switch hitter to a plethora of young infielders as the Reds position themselves for a run at the National League Central title.

Jeimer CandelarioCandelario was non-tendered by the Detroit Tigers following the 2022 season but rebounded with a stellar 2023, setting career highs in home runs (22) and RBIs (70) while hitting .251/.336/.471 and playing first and third base for the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. His deal with the Reds includes a club option for $15 million in 2027, sources said. 

He joins a Reds team that already features young infielders Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jonathan India. Another infielder, Spencer Steer, is expected to move to left field, where he would complement outfielders TJ Friedl, Will Benson and Jake Fraley.

Candelario’s deal, first reported by MLB.com, could free up Cincinnati to use its depth to pursue a trade for a pitcher, though the Reds already have added right-hander Nick Martinez to their rotation and right-hander Emilio Pagan to their bullpen on two-year deals.

Cincinnati’s last postseason appearance in a full season came in 2013, and following an 82-80 performance in 2023, owner Bob Castellini said he intended to expand the Reds’ payroll with hopes of usurping the incumbent division winner, the Milwaukee Brewers, and the Cubs. The Reds, typically among the lowest-payroll teams, have guaranteed $87 million to free agents.

Multiple teams pursued Candelario this winter, looking at his versatility as well as his ability to hit from both sides of the plate as pluses. Over his eight-year career, Candelario has hit .243/.325/.414 with 88 home runs and 318 RBIs in 746 games.

Nick Martinez Agrees to Two-Year, $26 Million Contract with Cincinnati Reds

Posted on by
Reply

Nick Martinez is seeing Red(s)…

The 33-year-old Latino professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher, has agreed to a two-year, $26 million contract with the Cincinnati Reds, according to ESPN.

Nick MartinezMartinez’s hiring caps a busy Wednesday in which the Reds bulked up their pitching staff in hopes of winning the National League Central next season.

Martinez had opted out of the final two years of his contract with the San Diego Padres that would have paid him $16 million after the Padres declined their two-year, $32 million club option on him.

He comes off a season in which he pitched 54 games out of the bullpen but thrived over nine starts, posting a 2.32 ERA in 42⅔ innings.

Martinez’s deal, which is pending a physical, will pay him $14 million in 2024, sources said, at which point he can head back to free agency. If he opts into the contract, Martinez would be paid $12 million in 2025.

Martinez is expected to join a rotation that could include any of five 25-and-under pitchers: Right-handers Hunter Greene and Graham Ashcraft and left-handers Nick Lodolo, Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson.

After four years of middling success with the Texas Rangers, Martinez spent four seasons in Japan, thriving in 2021 with a 1.60 ERA in 140⅔ innings. He returned stateside with more fastball velocity and an elite Vulcan-grip changeup he learned while in Japan. Martinez signed with the Padres, opting out of his deal after one season but re-signing last November for three years and $26 million, with the dual options following the first season.

In the two seasons since his return to Major League Baseball, Martinez is 10-8 with a 3.45 ERA and 201 strikeouts against 81 walks in 216⅔ innings.

Nick Martinez to Replace Clayton Kershaw on USA’s World Baseball Classic Roster

Posted on by
Reply

Nick Martinez is heading to the classic…

The 32-year-old Latino professional baseball player, a pitcher for the San Diego Padres, will replace Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw on the 30-man roster for the United States for the World Baseball Classic, according to Major League Baseball officials.

Nick MartinezMartinez went 4-4 with a 3.47 ERA in 47 games for San Diego last season, making 10 starts and collecting eight saves.

He finalized a $26 million, three-year contract with the Padres in November.

Kershaw announced Friday that he wouldn’t be able to participate in the WBC. The three-time Cy Young Award winner didn’t specify the reasons that would prevent him from participating.

Nick Martinez Agrees to Four-Year, $20 Million Deal with San Diego Padres

Posted on by
Reply

Nick Martinez is returning to the majors…

The San Diego Padres and the 31-year-old Latino professional baseball pitcher have agreed on a four-year, $20 million contract, according to ESPN.

Nick MartinezMartinez’s deal includes opt-outs after his first and second year.

Martinez spent the past four seasons in Japan and starred for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks this year, posting a 1.62 ERA.

He previously played four seasons in the major leagues, all with the Texas Rangers from 2014-17, and went 17-30 with a 4.77 ERA.

Martinez also won a silver medal while playing for Team USA in the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Eddy Alvarez Becomes First Latino Athlete to Win a Medal at Summer & Winter Olympics

Posted on by
Reply

2020 Tokyo Games

Eddy Alvarez has earned his place in Olympics history…

The 31-year-old Cuban-American speedskater-turned-baseball-player and his Team USA mates lost to Japan 2-0 in the 2020 Tokyo Games men’s baseball gold medal game at Yokohama Baseball Stadium, having to settle for silver.

Eddy Alvarez

But in the process, Alvarez – Team USA’s starting second baseman – has done something six people have ever accomplished – win a medal at the Summer and Winter Olympics. And, he’s the first Latino to accomplish the feat.

“Feels like déjà vu. Just as heavy as the other one. Same color. A little bit of a different design,” Alvarez said. “But it’s still an incredible journey, an incredible experience, a great group of guys I’ve created a bond with for the rest of my life so I can’t wait to enjoy this moment back home.”  

Team USA Men's Baseball

Only six others have accomplished the feat. Americans Eddie Egan (1920 – boxing, 1932 – four-man bobsled) and Lauryn Williams (2004 – 100-meter sprint, 2012 – 4×100 relay, 2014 – two-woman bobsled) are two of those on the list.

The others are Norway’s Jacob Tullin Thams (ski jumping in 1924 and yachting in 1936), East Germany/Germany’s Christa Luding-Rothenburger (speedskating in 1984, ’88 and ’92 and sprint cycling in 1988) and Canada’s Clara Hughes (cycling in 1996 and speed skating in 2002, ’06 and ’10).

“It’s hard to describe it, because it’s like bittersweet, but at the same time, it’s an unbelievable feeling,” Alvarez said.

“I had no idea this is where I was going to end up. Once I retired from skating, never in my wildest dreams would I ever think I would have the chance to come back to the Olympics.”

Alvarez won a silver medal at the 2014 Sochi Games as a member of the 5,000-meter speed skating short-track squad.

“It’s a tough pill to swallow, when you come so close to winning and you fall short,” Alvarez said of his silver medals. “At the same time, it’s one of those things that I know will hit me eventually, of how incredible and blessed I am to be a part of this.”

But Alvarez isn’t the only Latino to earn a silver as part of the US men’s baseball team…

Triston Casas, the 21-year-old Latino first baseman; 28-year-old Puerto Rican infielder Jack Lopez; and 31-year-old Latino pitcher Nick Martinez are all part of Team USA at this year’s Games.

It’s the first Olympic hardware for the three.