In the most surprising of turnarounds, Nick Martinez has gone from being out of contract to becoming the most successful pitcher on a four-time defending Japan Series champion to pitching for the United States in Saturday's Tokyo Olympic gold baseball medal game.

The U.S. qualified for Saturday's final with a 7-2 win over defending champion South Korea on Thursday, when U.S. manager Mike Scioscia handed Martinez a gift for his 31st birthday, a starting assignment against the guys he plays with and plays against in Nippon Professional Baseball.

Nick Martinez of the United States plays catch in Tokyo on Aug. 6, 2021. (Kyodo)

"Honored to have the ball. Excited for the game tomorrow. Ready to give it everything I've got," the former Texas Ranger told Kyodo News on Friday in a text message.

After three years in Sapporo with the Pacific League's Nippon Ham Fighters, the second derailed by injury and the third a less-than-impressive comeback, Martinez found himself looking for a job in the United States until the PL's SoftBank Hawks came calling and signed him after the start of spring training.

"I didn't think I was going to come back until the Hawks came along," he said in June.

"Statistically my last year was not great but considering I didn't pitch at all in 2019, finishing the year healthy and not missing any time to the injury was really the main goal last year. I accomplished that goal, so it wasn't a complete letdown last year, but statistically still a down year, and something to prove this year."

After a 2-7 4.62-ERA season with the Fighters a year ago, Martinez is 7-2 in 11 starts with a 2.03 ERA for the Hawks, and earned a spot as one of three NPB players on Scioscia's team along with slugging DeNA BayStars outfielder Tyler Austin and Yakult Swallows closer Scott McGough.

Martinez, who allowed a run over five innings while striking out nine against South Korea last Saturday, said playing in Japan has improved his ability to stay focused in games.

"Here, the hitters force you to stay locked in, because they foul it off, foul it off, foul it off," he said.


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