Wood makes spring debut; C-Mart determined

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Giants left-hander Alex Wood likes to push the pace on the mound, so it wasn’t a surprise to see him breeze through two quick innings in his Cactus League debut against the Brewers on Monday night at Scottsdale Stadium.

Wood, who signed a two-year, $25 million extension in December, retired all six batters he faced in the 32-pitch outing, striking out Willy Adames, Christian Yelich and Rowdy Tellez on sliders.

“I felt really good,” Wood, 31, said. “I was happy to see several lefties tonight. It’s one of my emphasis during Spring Training, commanding the arm side part of the plate to lefties. I felt like I did that pretty well tonight. I felt like everything was working.”

Wood was among the pitchers who took notice of Max Scherzer’s impressive five-inning spring debut with the Mets on Monday, but Wood didn’t push to go deeper into the game, as he has a more gradual progression planned for himself this spring.

“I was shocked when I saw that,” Wood said. “He’s an animal, though. I’m not surprised at all. Two innings was enough work for me.”

Wood lives in the Atlanta area in the offseason, and he stayed sharp by throwing bullpen sessions to Joey Bart, whom he’s known since the 25-year-old catcher’s days at Georgia Tech. Wood is looking forward to continuing that partnership in San Francisco, as well as getting to know new rotation mates Carlos Rodón and Alex Cobb.

“I think we’re going to be dangerous,” Wood said. “I really do. I think we’ve got a lot of good experience. A lot of good arms, guys who like to compete. Really competitive guys. I think we’re really going to push each other. ... If you get that rolling downhill, it can be a lot of fun.”

Martínez eyes return to All-Star form
The Giants were among the first teams to express interest in Carlos Martínez after the Cardinals declined the two-time All-Star’s $17 million club option for 2022 in November. It didn’t take long for the 30-year-old right-hander to decide San Francisco would be the best place to try to recapture his past dominance after back-to-back injury-marred seasons.

“As soon as they called, I automatically said yes,” Martínez said in Spanish. “I thought it was a good fit because it’s a competitive organization. With me on the team, I think we’ll have a good chance of reaching the World Series. I think I’ll be able to contribute a lot here.”

Martínez, who finalized a Minor League contract on Sunday, is among the most intriguing non-roster invitees in Giants camp this spring due to his impressive track record and versatility.

From 2013-19, Martínez logged a 3.36 ERA while serving as a starter and closer, but his performance dipped over the last two years as he struggled to overcome an array of injuries. He posted a 6.23 ERA over 16 starts in 2021 before undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb in July, but he said he’s healthy now and ready to compete for a spot on the Giants’ pitching staff.

“I’ve always been a starter, but I’m open to pitching in any role as long as I can help the team,” said Martínez, who does not have an opt-out clause in his contract. “I know I can pitch in the big leagues. I’m going to show the team that I can pitch in the big leagues.”

Aside from the injuries, Martínez said he was also dealing with off-the-field issues that hampered his confidence on the mound. He started seeing a therapist to help him cope with a difficult separation from his wife, and he feels he’s in a better headspace now that he’s managed to work through his family issues.

Martínez’s arrival to Giants camp was delayed due to an expired passport, but now that he’s here, he feels he’s ready to prove that he’s still the same pitcher he was five or six years ago.

“His stuff compares to just about anybody in the game,” said right-hander Dominic Leone, Martínez’s former Cardinals teammate. “When he’s on, he’s really, really good. I know he works hard. He has natural ability. I’m interested to see what they put him through here and what role he can fill.”

Quick hits
• Rodón is poised to face the White Sox -- his former team -- in his Giants debut at Camelback Ranch on Thursday. Rodón was selected by the White Sox with the third overall pick of the 2014 Draft and spent the first seven years of his career in Chicago before signing a two-year, $44 million deal with the Giants earlier this month. Thursday's game will be available on an exclusive audio webcast on MLB.com.

• Tuesday is the deadline for clubs to exchange salary figures with arbitration-eligible players. The Giants have yet to agree to terms with four arbitration-eligible players: Mike Yastrzemski, Darin Ruf, Curt Casali and Leone.