The Padres pitching staff appears set to lose one of its most crucial contributors, as the team declined its option on Nick Martinez’s contract and the right-hander declined his subsequent option.
Unless they are able to work another deal with Martinez, as they did last year just before free agency began, the Padres will have a big hole to fill.
The Padres had an option to pay Martinez $16 million each of the next two seasons. When they declined, Martinez could have taken an $8 million option for 2024 and ‘25.
Martinez, 33, posted a 3.45 ERA in 216⅔ innings over the past two seasons, during which he was whatever type of pitcher the Padres needed.
Martinez’s preference was to start, but he ended up making just 19 starts while coming out of the bullpen for 81 games. He had a 3.41 ERA as a reliever and a 3.48 ERA out of the bullpen. He is the only pitcher in the major leagues to have at least 21 saves and 23 holds while throwing more than 140⅔ innings from 2022-23.
Three of Martinez’s nine starts in 2023 came at the end of the season, during which he allowed five hits in 12 scoreless innings.
There was no word yet on what choice the Padres will make today on a similar decision regarding starting pitcher Michael Wacha.
The Padres have the option to pay Wacha $16 million a year for the next two seasons. Should the team decline, Wacha would almost certainly decline an option for $6.5 million foir 2024.
Should the Padres decide to exercise Wacha’s option, it will mean they decided he was worth the risk. Shoulder issues have forced Wacha to miss a portion of the past two seasons.
The 32-year-old Wacha, whose .806 winning percentage (25-6) over the past two seasons leads the major leagues, went 14-9 with a 3.22 ERA in 24 starts (134⅓ innings) in 2023. His 14 wins tied presumptive National League Cy Young winner Blake Snell for the team lead.
Wacha was signed at the start of spring training to a complex deal that guaranteed him $7.5 million in 2023, and he earned an additional $500,000 by making at least 20 starts.
He was the National League pitcher of the Month in May, allowing three runs in 32 innings (0.84 ERA).
He experienced shoulder fatigue and missed a start in the latter half of June, but he allowed one run in five innings in a July 1 start at Cincinnati. His 2.84 ERA ranked fifth in the National League to that point.
He did not pitch again until Aug. 15. He made every start (nine) through the end of the season and finished with two seven-inning outings, including seven shutout innings against the White Sox in his final start.
Starter Seth Lugo, who posted a 3.57 ERA in 26 starts (146⅓ innings) already declined his $7.5 million option for 2024, which made him a free agent.
Snell, who led the major leagues with a 2.25 ERA over 32 starts (180 innings) is also a free agent.
