2022 Padres Player Review: Nick Martinez

2022 Regular Season Statistics

0.5 fWAR, 47 G (10 GS), 106.1 IP, 3.47 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 95 K, 41 BB, 15 HR, 4 HBP

Positives From This Season

I could talk about Nick Martinez all day long. He was so important to this team and he’ll always be remembered by me as one of the unsung heroes of the 2022 Padres. Martinez didn’t want to be turned into a reliever but he still did it when Bob Melvin said he should be in the bullpen because he wanted to do whatever he could to help the team win the World Series.

Martinez made MLB history in September, as he became the first pitcher ever with four holds, eight saves and 10 starts in a single season. “I think it just goes back to doing whatever the team needs at the moment,” Martinez told Annie Heilbrunn this year. “I just want to win a World Series, so whatever that takes.”

He had a sub 4 ERA as a starter in the first two months of the season and he got better as he moved to the bullpen. The 32-year-old finished with a 2.67 ERA and 1.037 WHIP as a reliever, earning a 16 inning scoreless streak from July 26-August 29.

In the postseason, Martinez didn’t get the spotlight but he deserved it. The right-hander didn’t allow a run in his last 8.1 innings and retired all nine batters he faced in Game 4 of the NLCS to keep the Padres 4-3 lead they had at the time after Mike Clevinger couldn’t get an out.

Negatives From This Season

A negative is how well he pitched this year because I doubt he’s going to opt into his $6.5 million player option for 2023. He sees himself as a starter and he should be able to get starting pitcher money in free agency so the Padres are likely going to have to give him a raise if they want him to stick around.

If you wish to listen or watch me talk more about Martinez’s season on the Talking Friars Podcast/YouTube show, click here!