Breakdown of Nick Martinez's fantastic start to his Rays' tenure

When the Rays signed Nick Martinez to a one-year deal over the offseason, there was a ton of excitement. Tampa Bay tends to find success with veteran pitchers late in their career. One example is two-time Cy Young winner Corey Kluber. The ace starter joined the Rays at the ripe age of 36 and put together a solid season as he won 10 games and tossed 164 innings. Martinez turns 36 years old in August and he's currently pitching like a top-of-the-rotation starter.

Martinez was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 18th round of the 2011 draft. The Miami native attended Fordham University where he displayed consistent talent on the mound prior to being picked late in the draft. As a young hurler, Nick Martinez made steady progress through the Texas farm system as he was able to make his MLB debut with the AL West club in 2014.

The 6'1 righty struggled in his first trip to the majors as he produced a 5-12 record in 24 starts. The Rangers gave him his fair share of chances, but after a 5.59 ERA in 2016, the minor leagues seemed to be his home for the time being.

Martinez's triumphant road back to consistent major league playing time was impressive as he collected back-to-back sub-4.00 ERA seasons with the Padres. These seasons solidified himself as a trusted back end starting pitcher, but few fans likely predicted this start.

Especially after a horrendous spring that saw the veteran accumulate a 14.49 ERA in four starts, a 180-degree turnaround was not probable. However, that's exactly what has occurred so far. In two starts against the Brewers and Twins, Martinez has produced a 2.25 ERA through 12 frames. To promote a lesser-known statistic, the Rays' starter had a quality start in each appearance. A quality start is defined as a start that goes at least six innings and results in the starting pitcher giving up three runs or less.

His best start was his most recent one on April 5th as Martinez gave up only one run on one hit in six electric frames. However, his first start could arguably be more impressive if we consider the Rays' opponent. On March 30th, the newly acquired Ray gave up only two runs in six innings against the NL Central leading Brewers that are off to a 7-2 start to the 2026 season.