Martinez made his major league debut back in 2009 with the Florida Marlins. He was acquired by the Braves before the 2010 season after the Marlins waived him. He has since been a reliable reliever, used in many different situations for the Braves, including long relief.
Martinez had a little trouble this year at being consistent. He also struggled when the game was in a tight situation. He gave up a few games, including four games when he picked up the loss. One of his worst games came on August 31st against the Philadelphia Phillies. He came into the game in the tenth inning and it was tied 5-5. He gave up three runs on three hits, including a home run, and lost a close one for the Braves.
Martinez did come up big in a few games with Atlanta though. On April 28th against the Pittsburgh Pirates, he pitched three innings giving up only a hit and striking out four to help out the Atlanta bullpen. He also recorded his first major league save this year against the Colorado Rockies on May 6th. Overall during the year, he went 5-4 with a 3.91 ERA and 65 strikeouts.
Martinez will again be with Atlanta next season, but he will have to earn a spot in the bullpen. The Braves keep producing good relievers in the minors, and if Martinez isn't careful, he might find himself out of a job. The one plus for him is his ability to pitch in long relief, and he can help manager Fredi Gonzalez save his big relievers for more meaningful games. With a strong spring, Martinez could be in the Braves' bullpen for the fourth year in a row.
Cristhian Martinez has been a valuable piece of the Braves' bullpen for two years now.
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