This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon¡¯s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CINCINNATI -- The case could be made that the Reds' pitcher of the year in 2024 is Nick Martinez.

That's based on Martinez's ability to work in any situation -- starter, long relief, short relief -- and, of course, perform well. Most recently as a starter for much of the second half, the 34-year-old has been the glue that held the rotation together.

In 10 starts since he returned to the rotation Aug. 5, Martinez is 5-1 with a 2.60 ERA, eight walks and 50 strikeouts over 55 1/3 innings. That includes a 4-0 mark with a 0.73 ERA in 24 2/3 innings over his past four starts.

Martinez signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the Reds on Nov. 30, 2023. It includes an opt-out clause after this season, which would make him a free agent and would allow him to explore what again could be a lucrative market for starting pitchers.

I recently spoke to Martinez about his first season in Cincinnati, how he was utilized and whether he could be here for a second year.

MLB.com: I know the team didn¡¯t reach the postseason as it expected, but how did this year play out for you compared to your thoughts when you signed?

Martinez: I feel that this is a playoff team that didn¡¯t play to those expectations this year. I do believe the bones are here for a playoff contending team that can make a run deep into the playoffs. I look around. You have your ace locked up in Hunter Greene. We have our two lefties in [Nick] Lodolo and [Andrew] Abbott. They had some growing pains this year but can definitely contribute to a playoff team. They¡¯re playoff-caliber pitchers who, in my opinion, have to make that last push to show they can do that.

From a position-player standpoint, you have Elly [De La Cruz], Spencer [Steer], a contact guy in TJ [Friedl], who can also run into some homers. You have a really good structure for the lineup. You have a homegrown catcher [in Tyler Stephenson], who I think they should extend. He¡¯s shown he can take charge of a full staff and still produce at a high level. That¡¯s very rare. The year didn¡¯t turn out the way we expected to, but that¡¯s baseball. But the most important pieces are here to be a playoff team.

MLB.com: How did you like being in this clubhouse, this ballpark and this city?

Martinez: I love this clubhouse. These guys are awesome. They made this season fly by for me. We¡¯re always getting together, whether it¡¯s golf, dinner, drinks, poker tournaments, breakfast. We¡¯re always looking for ways to hang. That¡¯s my favorite part of the big leagues.

MLB.com: You pitched in a lot of different ways this season -- starter, bulk reliever, high-leverage. How do you feel about how you¡¯ve been used? Was it how you expected? Or better?

Martinez: Maybe a little bit different out of the bullpen, not in a bad way or anything. With the type of injuries we had in San Diego [in 2023], when I was in the bullpen, I was the eighth-inning guy. Here, we didn¡¯t have those, and that¡¯s a good thing. I was interchangeably getting some length late in the ballgame when they needed it, like a bulk guy. It¡¯s what I signed up for. I don¡¯t have a problem with how they used me at all.

MLB.com: Circling back to you saying "the bones are here" to contend, you¡¯re also in a situation where you can opt out of your contract. Do you have a future here? What is going to happen after the season? You have that choice.

Martinez: I still view it that I have a future here. When I signed, my mindset was I was going to be here for two years. I haven¡¯t talked to my agent [Scott Boras] about what that looks like for next year. I¡¯d like to still focus on this year, but it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m trying to run out of here. It¡¯s a tricky situation for sure. It¡¯s a delicate one that I have to communicate with my agent in terms of what I want. If what I want lines up here, and I think it does ¡­ there¡¯s a more delicate issue that I think needs to be talked about. I don¡¯t know when that happens during the offseason, just talking about what it might look like and go from there. I wouldn¡¯t look at it as me trying to pitch here and then get out of here.