Following a pair of trades on Wednesday, the Cincinnati Reds are adjusting their pitching plans. The day began with the acquisition of third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Hours later, the Reds pulled off a three-team deal with the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Dodgers to land right-handed starter Zack Littell.
With Littell joining the mix and Hunter Greene nearing a return from his rehab stint in Triple-A Louisville, the Reds find themselves with more starting pitchers than rotation slots. As a result, Nick Martinez, who turned in a solid six-inning, two-run outing against the Dodgers on Tuesday night, will transition to the bullpen. President of Baseball Operations Nick Krall confirmed the decision shortly after the deal for Littell was completed.
Martinez is no stranger to relief work, having pitched out of the bullpen throughout his career. His ability to handle multiple innings gives Cincinnati a flexible and valuable option out of the pen. His presence is expected to not only boost bullpen effectiveness but also ease the workload on other relievers, potentially improving the overall unit’s performance.
Still, this might not be Martinez’s final appearance as a starter this season. Pitching depth is often tested by injuries, and further rotation changes could come. One such scenario could involve rookie Chase Burns, whose innings may need to be monitored later in the season. Whether the Reds limit his starts, shift him to the bullpen, or temporarily shut him down, a reliable arm like Martinez’s could be called upon again to fill in as needed.
