Martinez, Junis decline options with Reds as Maile, France and Martini become free agents

CINCINNATI — Right-handers Nick Martinez and Jakob Junis declined 2025 options with the Cincinnati Reds, who turned down their option on catcher Luke Maile on Friday,

In addition, first baseman Ty France and outfielder Nick Martini became free agents when they refused outright assignments to Triple-A Louisville.

Brent Suter returned to Cincinnati on a $2.5 million, one-year contract. The left-hander's deal includes a 2026 option worth $3 million with a $250,000 buyout, and he can earn an additional $200,000 in performance bonuses.

Suter, who lives in Cincinnati, went 1-0 with a 3.15 ERA and two saves in 47 appearances with the Reds this year.

Right-hander Tejay Antone, coming off his third elbow surgery, accepted an outright assignment to the Bats. Catcher Austin Wynns also was assigned outright to Louisville. Both were activated from the 60-day injured list.

Martinez agreed in December to a $14 million, one-year contract that included a $12 million player option. The 34-year-old left-hander was 10-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 16 starts and 26 relief appearances, striking out 116 and walking 18 in 142 1/3 innings.

He is 37-45 with a 4.09 ERA in seven seasons with Texas (2014-17), San Diego (2022-23) and Cincinnati. Martinez spent 2018-21 pitching in Japan.

Junis, 32, reached a deal in February with Milwaukee that called for a $4 million salary in 2024 and included an $8 million mutual option with a $3 million buyout.

He was acquired by the Reds on July 30 in a trade that sent Frankie Montas to the Brewers and had a 2.85 ERA in five starts and nine relief appearances for Cincinnati. Junis finished the season 4-0 with a 2.69 ERA in six starts and 18 relief outings. After making his first appearance on April 2, Junis was out until June 22 because of a right shoulder impingement.

Junis is 42-45 with a 4.48 ERA in eight seasons with Kansas City (2017-21), San Francisco (2022-23), Milwaukee and Cincinnati.

Maile had a $3 million salary this year as part of a deal that included a $3.5 million team option with a $500,000 buyout. The 33-year-old hit .178 with two homers and eight RBIs in 135 at-bats over 53 games. A nine-year big league veteran, he has a .208 average with 21 homers and 113 RBIs for Tampa Bay (2015-16), Toronto (2017-19), Milwaukee (2021), Cleveland (2022) and Cincinnati (2023-24).

France hit .251 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 179 at-bats over 52 games with the Reds, who acquired the 30-year-old from Seattle on July 29 for catcher Andruw Salcedo. Seattle agreed to send $1,294,758 to the Reds as part of the trade, offsetting part of France’s $6,775,000 salary.

Martini batted .212 with five homers and 24 RBIs in 52 games. The 34-year-old homered twice and had five RBIs on opening day against Washington.

Antone, a 30-year-old right-hander, made four appearances, then had season-ending surgery to repair a tendon and ligament in his right arm. He had Tommy John surgery in April 2017 and August 2021.

Cincinnati also said right-hander Christian Roa had been claimed off waivers from Miami. The 25-year-old, a second-round draft pick in 2020, was 4-4 with a 5.55 ERA in four starts and 19 relief appearances for Louisville.