Williams: See what Cincinnati Reds' highest-paid player did to help team make playoff push

The Cincinnati Reds have gone all in on a playoff run. At least by their standards.

The three trades in the final 30 hours before the July 31 deadline aren't worthy of national headlines. But the moves centered on strengthening the club's pitching-and-defense mission are all part of the Reds giving their Hall of Fame-bound manager the best chance to win.

And one of the biggest keys to making this all-in plan work was already in the Reds clubhouse: Right-hander Nick Martinez supporting the club's decision to move him to the bullpen.

Relief pitching was one of Cincinnati's biggest needs at the deadline, and Martinez may be better than anyone the Reds could've acquired in a trade.

What does it say about a team's culture and desire to win a playoff series for the first time in 30 years when it's highest-paid player is totally cool with such a move? Who knows what'll happen down the stretch for the Reds, but it's the type of team-first decision that could be critical to getting into the postseason.

“Whatever helps us win ballgames and get us to October, I’m game for," Martinez said.

He then added: "This is our window."

Bingo.

Martinez gets it. His perspective comes from struggling early in his career, finding himself out of the majors and playing in Japan by age 27 and then bouncing between the rotation and bullpen for two teams since making it back to the big leagues in 2022.

Everyone in the Reds organization from president Nick Krall to manager Terry Francona to the players were praising Martinez's acceptance of the decision. Pitching coach Derek Johnson started talking to Martinez about the potential move last week, Krall said.

All good.

Francona talked to Martinez about it.

All good.

Krall talked to Martinez about it.

All good.

It gave Krall confidence to pursue a deal for Tampa Bay starter Zack Littell, whom the Reds acquired late July 30. Martinez happily took one for the team, something long-sufferering Reds fans undoubtedly appreciate. What a great example for a young clubhouse. Martinez, 34, is "one of the best teammates I've ever been around," Krall said.

Reds reliever Emilio Pagan echoed that.

"He’s the best," Pagan told me. "What he means to this clubhouse, what he means to this team … it’s not surprising that he did that. It’s genuine. It’s not like, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it’ but behind closed doors he’s complaining. He just wants to win."

It may not seem like a big deal. After all, 119 of Martinez's 176 appearances have been in relief since he returned from a four-season stint in Japan. But Martinez was the Reds' best starter down the stretch last season. He then signed a qualifying offer from the Reds, paying him $21.05 million for this season – some $12.3 million more than the second-highest paid player on the Reds' roster.

His job in the rotation wasn't guaranteed. But at that price, Martinez and the Reds had a spot in the rotation firmly in mind.

For Martinez, it was an opportunity to settle in as starter after he went 4-1 last September and finished the season with a 3.10 ERA. He's been an effective starter since coming to the Reds ahead of last season. But Martinez has been even more effective as a reliever.

Pagan calls Martinez the best "hybrid" pitcher in baseball. His versatility is his strength. Martinez has come to embrace that, but he said there was a time when he would've been really upset about a move like this.

Martinez struggled with going back-and-forth from starter to reliever in 2022 with San Diego. He came up as a starter with Texas in 2014. Martinez wanted another crack at starting after working out of the bullpen while in Japan. But Martinez only made 10 starts in 2022. Just nine of his 63 appearances were starts the next season.

It was a call home to his father during the 2023 season that changed Martinez's perspective.

"He told me I could pitch 3-4 times a week and how that brings value to the team," Martinez said. "He said, 'You might as well embrace it.' It was a revelation. That’s when I really understood my value to the team and that I can help us win games.”

Contact columnist Jason Williams at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: MLB trade deadline: How move by Reds' highest-paid player may pay off