AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS RAYS

October 6, 2026

Nick Martinez

Yankee Stadium

Tampa Bay Rays

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Hey, Nick. I know your veteran-ness allows you to always keep things in perspective but has the thought run across your mind yet that you're going to take the mound tomorrow with a chance to clinch a spot in the ALCS?

NICK MARTINEZ: Yeah. I've been paying attention the last two games. So I'm fully aware what's at stake tomorrow.

It should be exciting. I imagine it's going to be an electric crowd with their season on the line. It's going to be an absolute dog fight, just like my last 31 starts.

Q. This is your first full year as a starter. I'm just curious how do you think your season went, and how much do you love being a starting pitcher, because every time I see you you're either a starter or a reliever?

NICK MARTINEZ: Yeah. I love starting. I've always believed that I can be a starter. I've always enjoyed being one of the five or six horses on the team that the team relies on for a full season.

But I also have the mentality that I just want to win ballgames, in whatever capacity. I want to play in the post-season. This is the most fun part of the season, obviously, and however we can do it, however the team needs me to contribute, I'm open to that.

But, yeah, being a starter this year is great. I've always believed that I can be a starter for a full season. I think I've been surrounded with a fantastic group of not only just teammates, but Snyde, working with Snyde, Cash. Our analytic department, the way we prep. It's just been a lot of fun this year.

Q. You also spent time in Japan, and I'm just curious, how much did playing in Japan turn your career around? Because before Japan you were inconsistent, but after you left Japan, you found consistency in the Big Leagues. What turned it around?

NICK MARTINEZ: Yeah. Yeah. Shoot, man. A lot. We could talk for an hour about how Japan changed my career. I just grew as a pitcher physically and mentally and was able to hone in my craft. Ultimately I was able to shake that label of being a depth guy, being a guy that can be in Triple-A and come up for a spot start and kind of ride that DFA train and bounce around teams and just fill in.

I always thought of myself as more than that. I knew that I could help contribute -- help a team contribute to wins for a full season, and I wanted to shake that label of just being a depth guy, and I was able to do that in Japan.

Q. Nick, for all your post-season experience this is going to be your first playoff start. What have you kind of learned from your past playoff outings to take into this and how, if at all, is it different going in as a starter?

NICK MARTINEZ: Yeah. Every out is important. So it's not really about getting 100 pitches in or saving the bullpen and trying to have a quality start. It's trying to get every out. Every out matters. And take it pitch by pitch, And honestly it really doesn't change from bullpen or start.

So just try to maintain that mentality, really, and however many pitches I can get them, the more, the better, obviously. But, again, it's just about getting outs and keeping us in the ballgame.

Q. Any rhyme or reason for your home splits? Obviously you're good at home but you're really, really good on the road.

NICK MARTINEZ: Yeah. I didn't know that until someone brought it up. I don't think there's any rhyme or reason. I like pitching at home. I like pitching on the road, obviously. I like to feed off the energy, you know. If it's energy for me, then that's great. I like to use energy. I like having the support of the fans behind me. And on the road obviously it's more hostile, and sometimes I'm able to channel that into positive energy and use it.

So I imagine it's going to be pretty hostile tomorrow.

Q. And as a Fordham guy, any Fordham people in attendance on your behalf tomorrow?

NICK MARTINEZ: I'm sure there will be a few people. My tickets are all maxed out. I got the whole group coming up for this. So I couldn't leave any for my Fordham guys. They're pretty good about not bothering me in New York. They usually text me after if they're here and if we can we meet up.

So I'm sure I'll get some text messages from the guys here either today or in the next few days.

Q. Nick, just to follow up on that, what's it going to be like pitching in the Bronx in this kind of atmosphere given your Fordham ties? You know the area.

NICK MARTINEZ: Yeah. Absolutely, man. It's going to be electric. I mean, I was a kid watching the Yankees in the playoffs and winning three in a row. And the Yankees have always been in the playoffs from the time I've watched baseball.

So to pitch here should be a lot of fun, man. Should be electric. And it's what you dream of as a kid, right, to pitch in the playoffs at Yankee Stadium.

Q. I know you didn't pitch a ton at Fordham. You went there as an infielder. But how did that help your career along, to get to where you are now, that experience, those couple years at Fordham?

NICK MARTINEZ: Yeah. Well, I mean, you learn a lot about camaraderie, right? A lot of the guys that make it to the Big Leagues that play college ball understand the camaraderie that it takes to win, winning in the season, how that translates.

And, also, it helped me a ton because I didn't pitch in college. So I didn't have the same type of mileage that a lot of guys my age have. So it kept me fresh. But I think it also -- you know, playing every day, you want to help the team win it any way possible, and I think that mentality of playing every day and doing whatever it takes to win, I think it creates a little bit more character like just getting the job done, doing whatever you can.

Q. Nick, back then at Fordham on those really frigid March days against Columbia or Iona or Manhattan College, did you ever dream about playing in Yankee Stadium in a post-season game?

NICK MARTINEZ: I didn't dream about it, but I mean, yes, I guess you could say I dreamed about it.

I remember my first fall we had an intrasquad right before we played -- get ready for the season, wherever we were playing, it was snowing. And I was like what the heck am I doing up here, you know?

But, yeah, we came to games a lot. As a student at Fordham whenever we had practice off or a day off and they were playing at home, we'd come over, catch a train and watch a game at Yankee Stadium and we'd be in the bleachers, my roommate or a couple buddies, and I would just watch them and like, man, obviously playing here would be pretty bad ass.

Q. When you thought back then about it, did you think about hitting a post-season home run or pitching a shutout?

NICK MARTINEZ: Yeah. I'm pitching now because I wasn't a strong hitter. So my mind always went to making a great defensive play, helping out the team on defense.

But, yeah. Yeah. I always imagined myself either playing shortshop or second base at this stadium when I was in college.

Q. Nick, in your role as a vibes master, what was the vibe amongst the guys on the plane last night, and how would you kind of assess, obviously you're in a great position strategically, but how would you assess where you guys are?

NICK MARTINEZ: Yeah. Morale is high, right. Obviously a big win to come into New York up 2-0. We were having a good time on the plane. Music was flowing. Guys were playing cards, and we were having a good time, enjoying the moment. And we have pretty much everyone here today, ready to get back to work.

Not taking today as just an off-day to kind of catch up on some sleep. Guys are moving around. We have a pretty good showing out here.

Q. Just wanted to ask about one of your teammates, Brian Baker. You've seen him close out the last two games. How much can you appreciate the stability and the consistency that he's brought to that role?

NICK MARTINEZ: He's a rock, man. He's a maniac. He's been coming through for us all year, man, and it's really fun to watch. It's not easy, man. You talk about as a starter you're facing a team multiple times. You know, it becomes more of a cat and mouse and no one really ever talks about relievers having to do that, and he's had to do that the last two nights and I'm sure he will again this series.

As a starter, it can be a little bit easier, right, because starters have more pitches, but when you're a two, maybe three-pitch guy, it's a harder chess match, but he's come through for us all season, and I mean, again, we can't talk enough about how great he's been.