At 35, beloved veteran Martinez earns 1st All-Star nod

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays had a lot to celebrate when Major League Baseball announced the All-Star rosters last weekend.

Their young superstar, Junior Caminero, was voted into the starting lineup. Arguably two of the Majors’ most underrated players, designated hitter Yandy Díaz and starter Drew Rasmussen, received the recognition they deserve. And breakout bullpen anchor Bryan Baker earned his first All-Star nod ever.

But there was clearly someone missing: veteran starter Nick Martinez, the steady presence in Tampa Bay’s rotation and the nerve center of the American League-leading Rays’ clubhouse.

“I would really like to see him on that flight,” Rasmussen said Wednesday.

That omission was addressed on Friday, when the 35-year-old Martinez was named to his first career All-Star team before starting against the Mariners in the series opener Friday night at Tropicana Field. A spot on the AL pitching staff became available when the Red Sox placed left-hander Ranger Suarez on the 15-day injured list due to a left groin strain.

As he prepared for Friday’s start, his last outing before Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic at Citizens Bank Park, Martinez seemed to be at peace with the idea of not cracking the All-Star team.

“Let it happen if it happens,” he said Thursday morning. “Just focusing on putting the team in a position to win a ballgame and closing out the first half strong.”

But Martinez certainly had a performance-based case to make the roster. He entered Friday with a 7-2 record, 2.9 WAR and 2.61 ERA, third-best in the AL and ninth-best among qualified starters in the Majors.

He worked 100 innings over his first 17 starts, allowing three runs or fewer in 16 of them, and the Rays won 13 of his outings. He doesn’t have overwhelming strikeout numbers or stuff, but he pitches with precision and the kind of confidence that led Shane McClanahan to say he “throws like he’s 10 feet tall and throws 150 [mph]."

And there’s more to this story, of course, which is why Friday’s news was so well-received inside Tampa Bay’s clubhouse.

Martinez, who will turn 36 on Aug. 5, has been a beloved teammate everywhere he’s been, from the time he debuted with the Rangers in 2014 and especially since he joined the Rays as a free agent in February. He immediately became a popular figure, someone who united various corners of the clubhouse with his friendly, fun-loving attitude and a wealth of experience to draw from.

“He’s incredible. I don’t know if any one individual has come in as a free agent and impacted this clubhouse like he has,” Rasmussen said. “To have him around every day is truly a blessing.”

Asked what Martinez’s leadership has meant to the Rays this season, Rasmussen replied, “Everything.” Then more praise flowed out.

“It’s his personality. It’s who he is as a human being. It’s his experience,” Rasmussen added. “He’s been really good. He’s struggled at times. And he just understands how to bounce back from all of it, not ride the roller coaster too high or too low.

“Can we always have a positive attitude? Can we always bring energy and excitement to be here? Then on top of that, can you just be the best teammate ever? Because he is, man.”

Manager Kevin Cash agreed. The Rays have brought in a handful of impactful, well-respected veteran pitchers over the years, from Charlie Morton to Michael Wacha to Corey Kluber. They all made a mark on their younger peers. Still, the impact Martinez has had stands out.

“Nick has just really embraced his teammates. I think he’s beloved by everybody,” Cash said. “He’s embraced his teammates also by what he’s done on the mound. Definitely think he’s worthy.”