Reds' Nick Martinez: Looks set to remain in bullpen

Martinez isn't listed among the Reds' three probable pitchers for the team's series in Seattle that begins Monday, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

While manager David Bell hasn't officially said that Martinez has been removed from the Cincinnati rotation, the right-hander's continued absence from the Reds' pitching schedule to begin the week suggests that he's been moved to the bullpen. With Nick Lodolo (calf) returning from the 15-day injured list Saturday with a 10-strikeout gem, Goldsmith relays that the Reds are expected to have Lodolo make his next turn in the team's series opener with the Angels on Friday. Rather than expanding the rotation to six men to keep Martinez on hand as a starter, the Reds seem inclined to let him operate as a multi-inning reliever, a role in which he thrived with the Padres for much of the past season. Martinez had been erratic in his first two starts of the season with Cincinnati, giving up eight earned runs on 14 hits and two walks while striking out nine over 10 innings.