Once kicked out of Yankee Stadium as a rowdy college student, pitcher Nick Martinez returns Wednesday to lead the Rays in a high-stakes ALDS Game 3.
The last time Nick Martinez found himself in the stands at Yankee Stadium. the night ended with him being escorted off the premises. It was his junior year at Fordham University. and after a team practice was canceled. he and a roommate decided to arrive early for a matchup against the Red Sox. The celebration proved too spirited. and Martinez—who later admitted he might have enjoyed a few too many adult beverages—found himself ejected from the ballpark.
That was a lifetime ago. On Wednesday night. Martinez returns to the Bronx. not as a spectator. but as the starting pitcher for the Rays in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. He arrives with a mission: to secure a sweep over New York and punch the Rays’ ticket to the ALCS in his first career postseason start.
Martinez enters this assignment after a debut season with the Rays that saw him finish 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA and 3.9 wins above replacement over 180 innings. Across 31 starts, his team posted a 22-9 overall record. He was particularly dominant on the road, where he went 7-3 with a 2.38 ERA in 16 outings. In two previous appearances at Yankee Stadium this season. he held the Yankees to just three runs across 12 innings of work.
“I’ve been paying attention the last two games. so I’m fully aware of what’s at stake tomorrow. ” Martinez said during a Tuesday Zoom call from the stadium. “It should be exciting. I imagine it’s going to be an electric crowd with their season on the line. It’s going to be an absolute dogfight, just like my last 31 starts.”.
Beyond his performance on the mound, Martinez has become the heartbeat of the Tampa Bay clubhouse. Shortstop Taylor Walls considers him the team’s true MVP, noting his constant positivity and selflessness. Left fielder Chandler Simpson described his presence as “second to none. ” while DH Yandy Díaz praised his character both on and off the field.
Manager Kevin Cash sees the assignment as a logical choice regardless of the venue. “It’s definitely the season overall and how good we feel when he’s on the mound for us, whether it’s home or road,” Cash said. “He is as ready to compete and as good as any pitcher I’ve been around.”
For a pitcher who once watched the action from the bleachers as an undergraduate, the transition to high-stakes postseason starter has been absolute. Martinez is no longer looking for a seat; he is looking to end the Yankees’ season.
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