The Tampa Bay Rays added Nick Martinez on Monday, agreeing to a $13 million, one-year contract with the versatile right-hander, according to a person familiar with the deal.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical. The deal includes a mutual option for the 2027 season.
The 35-year-old Martinez went 11-14 with a 4.45 ERA in 26 starts and 14 relief appearances with Cincinnati last year. He finished with a career-high 165 2/3 innings.
Tampa Bay had a 77-85 record in 2025 in its second consecutive losing season. It signed left-hander Steven Matz to a $15 million, two-year contract and traded right-hander Shane Baz to Baltimore in December.
Speaking carefully because the team had not confirmed the agreement, manager Kevin Cash said he had heard Martinez is unselfish and a “first-class personality."
“If we were fortunate enough to be able to add him to our club, I look at him being able to provide meaningful starter innings for us,” Cash said. “So excited by the rumors.”
The Rays' pitchers and catchers are slated to have their first spring training workout on Thursday. The team's first full-squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 17.
Martinez was selected by Texas in the 18th round of the 2011 amateur draft out of Fordham. He made his big league debut with the Rangers in 2014.
He pitched in Japan for four seasons before signing with San Diego in March 2022.
Martinez is 48-59 with a 4.16 ERA in 151 relief appearances and 129 starts over eight years in the majors. He had his best season in 2024, when he went 10-7 with a career-low 3.10 ERA in 42 games with the Reds.
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
FILE - Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Martinez delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates Aug. 9, 2025, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed, File)
FILE - Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Martinez delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Aug. 20, 2025, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistanis faced record fuel price increases Friday, as petrol and diesel prices rose by up to 54% driven by the war in the Middle East that has caused global oil prices to surge.
The increase adds pressure to a cash-strapped nation already grappling with high inflation, as economists warned the hike would push up food prices and living costs.
Pakistan's Petroleum Minister Pervez Malik said late Thursday that the increase was “unavoidable.” He said the government was compelled to raise petrol prices by 137 rupees (49 cents) per liter, following a 20% increase last month.
Diesel prices were increased overnight by 184.49 rupees (67 cents) per liter, a rise of about 54.9%.
Malik said the adjustments were “necessary and unavoidable” in line with global market trends, adding that the government plans to subsidize fuel for motorcyclists, though a mechanism has yet to be finalized. Motorcycles overwhelmingly outnumber cars in Pakistan, accounting for nearly 78% of all vehicles on the road, as they are among the most affordable modes of commuting.
On Friday, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said public transport in Islamabad will be free for 30 days from Saturday on the prime minister’s instructions, and his ministry will cover the fuel costs.
Pakistan in recent weeks has used alternate routes to get oil due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The unprecedented price increase came after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said regional instability had affected Pakistan’s fragile economy. He said the government was pursuing diplomatic efforts to ease tensions and encourage dialogue between the parties involved.
Pakistan has offered to host peace talks, though no dates have been announced for any such meetings in Islamabad.
However, for many citizens, the impact of the ongoing tensions and recent fuel price increases was immediate, with households and commuters bracing for higher transportation and daily living costs.
“It’s not just gas,” said Mohammad Zain Alvi, a commuter waiting for a bus in Islamabad. “Life was already very difficult for us, and now everything will become more expensive.”
Across major cities Friday, fuel stations were unusually quiet and traffic noticeably lighter as many people stayed home, unable or unwilling to bear the higher costs. At some stations, customers stood in silence after hearing the new rates.
“We have nothing to do with the war,” said Azhar Ali, a junior government employee who uses an old motorcycle to commute from Rawalpindi to Islamabad. “Why are we being made to pay for it? This will affect everything — transport, food, our entire lives.”
In the northwestern city of Peshawar, motorcycle rider Sher Khan said he was uncertain how he would continue working after the spike in fuel prices. He delivers food in the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“I earn so little for each ride, and now most of it will go into fuel,” he told The Associated Press.
Jabran Sarfraz, a prominent economist in Karachi, said the immediate burden would fall on consumers, warning that higher fuel prices would raise the cost of daily necessities and disproportionately affect lower-income groups. He said the duration of the impact would depend on how quickly global prices ease.
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Khan reported from Peshawar, Pakistan.
Motorcyclists crowd into a filling station as they wait their turn to buy fuel, in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Ali Raza)
Motorcyclists crowd into a filling station as they wait their turn to buy fuel, in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Ali Raza)
A motorcyclist looks at the display at a fuel station as he buys fuel after the government increased fuel prices amid surging global oil prices due to the Iran war, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
A motorcyclist buys fuel after the government increased fuel prices amid surging global oil prices due to the Iran war, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
A worker fills fuel into a motorbike after the government increased fuel prices amid surging global oil prices due to the Iran war, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Friday, April 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)
