Martinez keeps Minnesota in check as bats erupt for blowout win

MINNEAPOLIS -- It's the final weeks of a Reds playoff-less season that many will want to move on from quickly when it's over. But the body of work a makeshift rotation has put together this month should not be overlooked.

That's true even on a night where the Reds' lineup swallowed up the Twins during an 11-1 blowout win at Target Field on Saturday. Starter Nick Martinez kept Minnesota in check with one earned run and three hits allowed over six innings.

"Our offense kind of took over that game but really, it starts with the starting pitching and Nick," said Reds manager David Bell, who turned 52 on Saturday. "Having him on the mound, we’re knowing what to expect when he’s out there. He’s going to give us a great effort. It was just a great start again.”

Over his last three starts, Martinez is 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA.

“It’s no surprise to me," said right fielder Jake Fraley, who had three hits, including a fifth-inning solo home run, in Saturday's win. "I actually train at the same place Nick does in the offseason in Miami. I get to see what this guy puts in as far as preparation and his work ethic. It’s literally the best I have ever seen and witnessed. I’ve seen that guy do more than the average MLB pitcher I’ve been able to be around.”

The only trouble Martinez encountered against the Twins came in the first inning. After Royce Lewis' one-out double put two runners in scoring position, a two-out infield hit by Byron Buxton scored a run. After that, Martinez retired nine in a row and 16 of his final 17 batters.

A nine-run Reds rally erupted in the top of the fourth inning. After Ty France's infield hit scored Spencer Steer with the go-ahead run, the lineup kept it coming with the biggest hits being Noelvi Marte's two-run ground-rule double with the bases loaded and TJ Friedl's two-run homer as part of his four-hit game.

Despite the rally keeping him from the mound for around 20 minutes, Martinez stayed sharp.

“I felt good," said Martinez, who struck out six and didn't walk a batter. "I stay warm. I don’t sit. Legs will stay loose and [I'm] throwing plyo balls against the wall to keep the shoulder going.”

Last month, the Reds saw All-Star Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott and Nick Lodolo all go on the injured list. That came after veteran starter Frankie Montas was traded to the Brewers on July 30 and Graham Ashcraft went down for the season in mid-July.

Martinez was the only healthy pitcher left who began the season in the rotation.

Cincinnati initially relied heavily on its bullpen to pick up the slack as it was forced to fill innings. Eventually, the club found a rotation combo that worked with Martinez, Brandon Williamson, reliever-turned-starter Jakob Junis and rookies Julian Aguiar and Rhett Lowder.

That group has posted a 1.71 ERA for September while the team has a 9-4 record for the month. Cincinnati's overall record is 73-77 and it is nine games back from a National League Wild Card berth with 12 games remaining.

“We’re definitely in a tough spot when it comes to fighting for a playoff spot. We’ve still got a job to do," Martinez said. "For the young guys, they want to show that they belong up here and make a good first impression. They’re doing just that."

Martinez's success this season with a 9-6 record and 3.37 ERA over 40 games with 14 starts could have implications for next year. The two-year, $26 million contract he signed included an opt-out clause after this season that he will most likely exercise to return to the open market.

With or without Martinez, the success of their fill-in starters could make adding pitching less of a priority in the offseason when the Reds start looking ahead to their 2025 plans.

The opposite was true last year when the club signed free agents Martinez to be a swingman pitcher and Brent Suter and Emilio Pagán for the bullpen.

“You want guys to get a lot of reps now and go into the offseason with a lot of confidence, regardless of how we finish," Martinez said. "I think it’s important.”