SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The St. Louis Cardinals have announced that RHP Carlos Martinez is expected to make a Rehab Start for the Springfield Cardinals at Hammons Field this Thursday, May 31.
The Cardinals take on the Corpus Christi Hooks this Thursday at 7:10pm, with gates opening at 6:10pm. Thursday is also the St. Louis Cardinals Replica 1968 National League Championship Ring Giveaway (2,000 fans), a Klement’s $1 Bratwurst Night and a Pre-Game On-Field Happy Hour, so click the link below to secure tickets right now!
A two-time National League All-Star, Martinez has a 1.62 ERA in eight starts this season for St. Louis to go with a 3-2 record and 47 strikeouts in 50.0 innings. He allowed just two earned runs over 33.1 April innings. Martinez has been on the D.L. since May 10.
Martinez has won 42 games over the past three seasons (2015-2017), ranking sixth-most among National League pitchers. Of his 100 career starts heading into 2018, 67 have been 6.0 innings or more and 60 of those registered as quality starts. He tallied 608 strikeouts in his first 100 career starts, most among pitchers in Cards history.
Martinez established career bests in starts (32), innings pitched (205.0), strikeouts (217) and opponent batting average (.232) in 2017. He joined Dizzy Dean (1934) as the only two Cardinals with four strikeouts in an All-Star Game in 2017. His 217 strikeouts last season were the ninth-highest single-season total in Cardinals history, and he joined Steve Carlton (24 yrs in 1969) as the only Cardinals pitchers aged 25 or younger to reach 200 strikeouts in a season.
Martinez was a member of Springfield’s 2012 Texas League Championship team and hurled 7.0 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in Game 1 of the Texas League Championship vs. Frisco (9/11). He was 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 14 starts for Springfield in 2012, striking out 58 in 71.1 innings. Martinez then started three games for Springfield in 2013, striking out nine in 11.2 innings with a 1-0 record before being called up directly to St. Louis for his Major League debut on May 3, 2013.
Saturday will be the first appearance for Martinez in Springfield since April 29, 2013.
