What if Nick Martinez eschews the Reds Qualifying Offer and signs elsewhere?

Nick Martinez accepting the $21+ million Qualifying Offer (QO) issued him by the Cincinnati Reds would be a good problem for the Reds to sort through. After all, there’s a reason why they thought him valuable enough to roll that dice - it’s an indication he’s that rare combination of elite quality and proven production, something the current starting rotation could desperately use heading in to the 2025 season.

It’s not too far gone from the decision last year to a) bring Martinez in to begin with as a swingman who’d provide rotation depth and b) guaranteeing at least $16 million to Frankie Montas to anchor the rotation despite him having missed almost all of 2023 with major shoulder issues.…