RHP Martinez signs 1-year deal with Padres

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Right-hander Nick Martinez signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Padres on Wednesday, finalizing a deal that was delayed by the Major League Baseball lockout.

Martinez and the Padres were closing in on an agreement Dec. 1, but it wasn’t finished before the lockout began that night. The deal includes player options for 2023, 2024 and 2025.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the club placed left-hander Adrian Morejon on the 60-day injured list.

Martinez had a 1.62 ERA for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan in 2021. He spent the last four seasons in Japan, pitching first for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and then the SoftBank Hawks.

He was drafted by Texas in 2011 and pitched for the Rangers from 2014-17. Padres general manager A.J. Preller worked in the Rangers’ front office before he was hired by San Diego in August 2014.

Martinez was on the U.S. Olympic team that lost to host Japan in the gold medal game in Tokyo last summer.

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