Ex-Padre Nick Martínez Haunts Petco Park with Six Hitless Innings: Reds’ Rising Arm Teases No-No Against Former Team

In a performance that will echo through the halls of Petco Park for years, former San Diego Padres pitcher Nick Martínez returned to haunt his old stomping grounds—this time as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. With a chilling display of precision and poise, Martínez tossed six no-hit innings against his former club on Friday night, reigniting painful memories for Padres fans and leaving many wondering what might have been had the franchise kept faith in the versatile right-hander.

What began as a routine night under the bright San Diego lights quickly morphed into a slow-burning nightmare for the Padres’ offense. Martínez, once a steady presence on the Padres’ pitching staff, took the mound with quiet confidence and methodically dismantled San Diego’s lineup. Not a single hit was recorded against him through six innings. Every pitch was calculated, every inning tighter than the last. The murmurs of a potential no-hitter began to swell within the stadium—though few fans dared to speak it aloud.

While Martínez didn’t complete the historic feat—being pulled after six innings and 83 pitches—the damage was done. The message was clear: Nick Martínez hasn’t forgotten San Diego, and San Diego won’t soon forget this performance.

Martínez’s time in San Diego was marked by moments of promise and adaptability. The righty served as both starter and reliever during his stint with the Padres, embodying the kind of utility that teams often prize but rarely reward. When the Padres made the decision to part ways with Martínez after the 2023 season, few predicted he’d become the one to silence their bats so thoroughly.

Now donning the Reds’ uniform, the 33-year-old looked like a man reborn. His fastball had bite, his changeup confounded batters, and he mixed his pitches with the savvy of a veteran who knew exactly how to exploit his former teammates’ weaknesses. Though manager David Bell opted to preserve Martínez’s arm by removing him before the seventh inning, the ripple effect of his performance lingered well beyond his exit.

For Padres fans, the silence wasn’t just on the scoreboard—it was in their souls. Watching a former player nearly carve his name into no-hit history on their home field was a bitter pill to swallow. This wasn’t a case of a journeyman overachieving. This was a clear indictment of decisions made by the front office.

Social media lit up with anguished reactions from Padres faithful. Some blamed the team for not recognizing Martínez’s potential, while others saw his performance as a metaphor for the Padres’ ongoing struggles in 2025. A team that was built to contend continues to fall flat in big moments—often at the hands of players they let slip away.

For Cincinnati, the outing couldn’t have come at a better time. Battling in a tightly packed NL Central race, the Reds have been surging thanks to a mix of young talent and key veteran contributions. Martínez’s performance adds yet another weapon to their improving rotation. Though his six innings didn’t culminate in a no-hitter, they sent a message to the league: the Reds aren’t just here to compete—they’re here to contend.

With the bullpen preserving the shutout and the offense doing just enough to support the effort, the Reds walked away with a 3–0 victory and a clear sense of momentum. Martínez’s outing may not go down as an official no-no, but for the Reds, it was a defining performance.

The lasting image from Friday night will be of Nick Martínez walking off the mound at Petco Park—head high, uniform clean, not a hit allowed. It was a symbolic moment, a ghost from San Diego’s past returning to cast a shadow over the present. Padres fans can only wonder what might’ve been had the organization seen in Martínez what the Reds clearly do now.