Reds' Nick Martini: Settling back into everyday role
Rotowire
Martini will start at designated hitter and bat sixth in Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.
He'll stick in the starting nine for the fourth game in a row after getting on base five times in 12 plate appearances in the last three contests. With center fielder TJ Friedl (thumb) returning from the injured list Wednesday, the Reds are notably keeping Martini in the lineup over Jacob Hurtubise, who had been handling an everyday role for most of the two-and-a-half-week period that Friedl was sidelined.
Martini went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Sunday's 4-1 win over the Dodgers.
Martini hit the second of back-to-back, two-run singles in the third inning. He has at least one RBI in three consecutive games. Martini (.191 average) and Mike Ford (.153) are expected to share the DH spot for now.
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Reds' Nick Martini: Pops game-tying homer
Rotowire
Martini went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 6-4 extra-inning loss to the Padres.
Martini has started the last two games in right field, replacing Jake Fraley (hand). Prior to Thursday, Martini was stuck in an 0-for-15 drought at the major-league level, though the slump spanned a demotion to Triple-A Louisville. He snapped it with a second-inning single before tying this contest with a two-run blast in the sixth. For the season, Martini is slashing .184/.204/.356 with four homers, 17 RBI, 15 runs scored and no stolen bases across 93 plate appearances. When the Reds are closer to full health, Martini will likely compete for playing time at designated hitter with Mike Ford, who is batting .161 on the year.
The Reds recalled Martini from Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old had a .529 OPS for the Reds before being optioned to Louisville on May 7, though he posted a .364/.563/.818 slash line in eight games during his time at Triple-A. Martini was seeing regular action at designated hitter against right-handed pitching prior to being demoted, but he'll now have to compete with Mike Ford for those at-bats.
The Reds optioned Martini to Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.
Martini was the Reds' Opening Day designated hitter and hit two home runs that day, but he slashed only .160/.185/.240 in 28 games after that. The 33-year-old had already seen his playing time dwindle, and it was going to further evaporate with TJ Friedl off the injured list.
