RADIO
Nick Martinez's Season Debut Pushed Back Due to Hamstring Issue
Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Nick Martinez (hamstring) will have his first start of the 2026 season pushed back to Game 4 due to a minor hamstring issue, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Right-hander Joe Boyle will now start the second game of the season for the Rays, with Ryan Pepiot (hip) landing on the 15-day injured list. The 35-year-old Martinez will make his first start for the Rays on Monday, March 30, in Milwaukee against the Brewers. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues and in DFS should be looking to avoid Martinez next week in a bad matchup, especially since he has allowed 18 runs in just 7 2/3 innings in the Grapefruit League in his last two starts. Since returning from a four-year stint in Japan in 2022, Martinez has a 3.67 ERA (3.96 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 433 strikeouts and 141 walks in 61 outings (26 starts). Martinez doesn't walk many, but he lacks the strikeout upside to make him intriguing outside of shallow-mixed fantasy leagues.
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
