Rays decline Martinez and Mullins' contract options, making them free agents

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays declined their mutual options with starter Nick Martinez and center fielder Cedric Mullins, as expected, on Friday afternoon.

Both veterans are now free agents.

These moves were anticipated because mutual options are rarely, if ever, exercised by both sides. They are typically included in contracts to shift salary commitments from one season to the next, and the value of the additional year usually doesn’t make sense for either the player (if he outperforms the salary) or the club (if he doesn’t perform to that level).

The Rays paid a $4 million buyout to Martinez, on top of the $9 million he earned this season as part of the contract he signed in February, rather than agreeing to a $20 million mutual option for next year. MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported Friday morning that Martinez had also declined his end of the mutual option.

Mullins earned $7 million with the Rays this season after signing with the team last December. His deal included a $10 million mutual option for 2027 with a $500,000 buyout.

Martinez should be able to land a multiyear contract after putting together a career year for Tampa Bay. The 36-year-old right-hander finished the regular season 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA in 180 innings over 31 starts, and he permitted five runs in 16 innings over four appearances (three starts) in the postseason.

Martinez was largely responsible for the clubhouse chemistry and “power of friendship” that defined Tampa Bay’s culture during an unexpected run to an American League championship this season. The Rays won 25 of the 35 games in which Martinez pitched, and manager Kevin Cash did not believe that statistic was a coincidence.

“We spoke to it all season long: He's been the rock of our clubhouse,” Cash said after Game 5 of the World Series, when Martinez warmed up for a relief appearance that never came.

“When you get the name [El] Presidente, that's for good reason. Orchestrating all the dinners, the conversations, the card games, the way he carried himself.

“We were a better team when Nick was on the mound because of how much support that he had from his teammates.”

Asked about his future after Game 5, Martinez said it was too soon to say where he might wind up next season. But he made it very clear how much he appreciated his time with the Rays, and there is no doubt the Rays appreciated everything he did on and off the field this year.

“I love it here,” Martinez said late Wednesday night. “It’s been great. Love the guys. Love the organization. So we’ll see what happens.”

Mullins played a key role for the Rays during the regular season, making 502 plate appearances over 137 games and starting 122 games in center field. He was a big part of Tampa Bay’s overall defensive improvement in the outfield, making tremendous strides to improve his jumps and routes while still showing the ability to make highlight-reel plays.

But he hit just .205 with a .628 OPS, 15 home runs, 48 RBIs and 21 stolen bases, and he essentially lost his job to Jonny DeLuca in the postseason. Mullins made six appearances off the bench in the playoffs, although he did have a home run and a stolen base.

The Rays figure to use DeLuca in center next season, with Jacob Melton another option and top outfield prospect Theo Gillen (Rays No. 2 prospect, MLB No. 16) a possibility later in the year. They are also set to return Chandler Simpson in left field, Victor Mesa Jr. in right and outfielder Ryan Vilade.

The Rays have two remaining club-option decisions to make before Monday. The most pressing is Drew Rasmussen’s $20 million option, as they have never paid a player that high of a salary for a single season. The other is a $3.1 million club option on shortstop Taylor Walls, who will remain under team control regardless of whether they exercise his option.