Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez is wearing a sling on his right arm in camp this morning, and manager Mike Shildt revealed to reporters that the right-hander received a platelet-rich plasma injection yesterday and is still two weeks from throwing (Twitter links via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Goold reported overnight that Martinez was headed for a second opinion on his right shoulder and now adds that if Martinez is ready for Opening Day — which is not a certainty — he’ll be in a relief role.
Shoulder troubles in 2018 also sent Martinez to a bullpen role late in the year, and he’ll apparently reprise that role for at least some of the 2019 season. Subtracting him from the early rotation mix would give the Cards a group of Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty, Michael Wacha, Adam Wainwright and one of Alex Reyes, John Gant, Dakota Hudson, Austin Gomber and Daniel Ponce de Leon — barring an addition from outside the organization, of course. Left-handers Dallas Keuchel and Gio Gonzalez are the top two unsigned starters on the market, while other depth options include Clay Buchholz and old friend Edwin Jackson.
Goold noted within his column that Reyes’ early work in spring is thrusting him into the conversation for an Opening Day rotation spot. But, it should be noted that the right-hander only threw a combined 27 innings between the Majors and Minors in 2017-18 combined as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery and then underwent shoulder to repair a torn tendon in his lat last June. Reyes has never reached 120 innings in a professional season, and the Cards will surely want to monitor his workload in 2019. In other words, if he does open the year as a starter, it seems unlikely that he’d be expected to hold that role all season. Even if that is the organization’s hope, his injury history suggests that he can’t be penciled in for that type of workload.
Moving Martinez to the bullpen may not be ideal, but when he’s eventually healthy, he should make for a high-quality pairing with offseason signee Andrew Miller and flamethrowing sophomore Jordan Hicks. That trio would be joined by some combination of Luke Gregerson, Brett Cecil, Dominic Leone, Chasen Shreve and perhaps some of the aforementioned rotation candidates who don’t ultimately claim a starting role. For now, the more immediate focus is on the strength and overall health of Martinez’s shoulder, as there’s an increasing chance that the Cardinals’ 2018 Opening Day starter will now open the 2019 season on the injured list rather than anywhere on the active roster.
Briffle2
Didn’t Reyes have lay surgery?
TurkeyClubSamich
Does it seem to anyone else like there’s an unusually high number of injuries here in these first couple weeks of spring training?
jleve618
It’s always high.
imindless
This rotation is sketchy, relying on dudes reproducing last years production, but when you dig deeper most of these dudes had career years and based on track records they wont be repeating that level.
baseballpun
I agree that the rotation is sketchy because I don’t think any of them are likely to last a full season in the rotation, with the possible exception of Mikolas, but it’s hard to tell how he’ll react to the second year of a major league workload, or if he’ll be able to repeat his success.
Aside from Mikolas, saying “based on track records they won’t be repeating that level” is nonsense. Pretty much everyone in the Cards’ rotation mix started last year in AAA and were brought up midseason. A lot of them had success over a two-month span, so it’s hard to know what you really have out of any of them, but there’s no track record to suggest they’re one-year wonders because there’s no track record, period.
socraticgadfly
Don’t tell that the the Kool-Aid drinking subset of Cards fans!
Speaking of, here’s my theory: Carlos regressed to Old Carlos and hurt his shoulder playing around too much on Carlos’ Magic Twitter. mlb.com/news/carlos-martinez-twitter-incident-lear…
jlmini10
It’s not always people going off blind faith and “drinking kool aid.” Maybe some fans really believe in the young starters. They did carry the team for a month last year after all. There’s another strategy where you roll with the young starters and see what they have, and if there’s a problem you can trade for pitching help at or before the deadline.
If you go all the way up to the budget at the start of the season and Keuchel sucks, then you’re kinda screwed if Dewitt doesn’t want to trade for another expensive starter.
Also, the young pitchers could do great and you have the foundation for a really cheap, effective rotation which helps you set aside money for big position player acquisitions. Tying up money in Keuchel isn’t exactly gonna make it easier for Dewitt to want to commit money to someone like Rendon or a similar talent next year.
clepto
Watch out mindless, insults coming. Poor quality posts and extreme bias view points will be coming from Themed and Cards81. These two tolerate no reasonable agrument against the gods gift to baseball. You will be bombarded with subjective baseless statements until you submit, and wear a Cards jersey purchased from the greatest GM directly. Good luck. 1 upvote given to offset the barrage of downies you will get.
You soon will say “I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.”
cards81
AWWWWWWE…poor clepto doesn’t agree with me….cry me a river
clepto
subjective and baseless…as expected.
cards81
You have no reasonable argument on here clepto….and im calling you out…this is cleptos post from the past ..
“you might well be the dumbest cardinal fan EVER. seriously, you are dumb enough to make that statement??? even if I was a cardinal fan, I would call you an idiot….which you are.
i really hope you do not vote. and if you do, thank god its only 1 wasted vote.’
“as does extremely biased, closed minded moron fans, such as yourself.”
and he wasn’t even talking to me…this is how he treats people…the guy is a bum
clepto
love that comment even more. keep on posting!!!
i was SPOT ON that day!! Ill even give you an upvote for my nested comments. You are welcome.
cards81
You’re a joke bud
Xavier Blaine
Agreed! I don’t believe the Cardinals will finish above 3rd in that division this year.
spudchukar
They won 88 games last year without Goldschmidt, Miller and Reyes. Those additions along with healthy Wong, DeJong, and Molina helps too. And while I have my doubts about Fowler, he cannot be worse, and O’Neill is a threat who could replace him. A full season of Bader in center and the prospects that St. Louis won’t better their 2018 season makes little sense.
JMarJR99
Completely agree. On paper, the Cardinals look like a better team. If they avoid the injury bug and bench players when they need to (ie Fowler) this could be a better season. I will agree that the starting rotation is fluid but not sketchy. Sketchy is the Oakland A’s rotation. But they made the playoffs last year so I’ll take Sketchy…
JFree47
I just don’t completely understand how this rotation is anymore sketchy than the cubs and the brewers both
baseballpun
It’s not.
socraticgadfly
It’s not any LESS sketchy than Cubs and Brewers, though, at a minimum, contra the subset of Cards fans here who drink plenty of Kool-Aid, smoke crack or whatever.
spudchukar
You have something against drugs?
socraticgadfly
Dallas Keuchel still available, if only Mo would get (or even try to get) DeWitt to put a crowbar in DeWallet: socraticgadfly.blogspot.com/2019/02/dallas-keuchel…
spudchukar
Convenient you omitted Wacha and Wainwright. I don’t know what Waino has left in the tank but he did pitch very well in the final 5 or so starts, got a little unlucky in a couple of those outings. Reyes is a stud. Sure he was set back by the 2 injuries the past two years, but there is nothing to suggest future injuries will occur. Flaherty was the best rookie pitcher not named Walker Buehler, and Flaherty pitched many more innings. Gant is being overlooked. His numbers in a significant number of starts would make him a #3 on many staffs, and that leaves Martinez, Ponce de Leon, and Gomber all as back-ups. Are their uncertainties, sure, but with so much depth, all with terrific numbers it is doubtful all would suddenly fail. And that doesn’t include Helsley, and his 100 mph heater, who is knocking on the door. Pitching isn’t the Cards’ problem. A left-handed hitting outfielder with thump is.
Payne Train
Sign Gio – get it over with .
socraticgadfly
No. Not if it’s for more than, say, $2 million.
themed
They are pitching rich. There’s still not room on the 25 man to put everyone. I don’t see as one poster put it a lot of injuries. That bullpen is going to be lights out to go along with very good young starting pitching.
clepto
Too bad I cant downvote this gem more than once.
socraticgadfly
I upvoted your snark!
cards81
get a life Clepto and keep my name out of your mouth and your post…I am surprised you haven’t started name calling and calling everyone stupid for not agreeing with you…youre a joke bud
clepto
value add #2. “Cards81”
baseballpun
They’ve got a high-risk, high reward staff. They need someone besides Mikolas who can offer reliable quality innings. Even Mikolas isn’t a sure thing. They should make a legitimate run at Keuchel. I would’ve liked to see them get Greinke but I think Greinke’s NTC probably made that a non-starter.
clepto
Pun, Themed is incapable of reason. While you make sense to normal people, you are really are just wasting your time on this thread. What does that comedian Ron White say?
cards81
What value have you added to this article on any of your post…you literally come on here just to pick fights with others…you are the most immature person on here…How old are you? im guessing 13
socraticgadfly
No they’re not. Waino isn’t even a starter, in reality. Wacha is an injury waiting to happen. Martinez will never be more than a No. 2 starter even when healthy. Stop counting Reyes chickens before they hatch.
Like clepto, I wish I could downvote this more than once.
Chris 87
Mikolas
Wacha
Flaherty
Waino
Gomber
Closer: C. Mart
6th/7th/8th: Combination of Miller, Reyes, Hicks
Shreve
Cecil
Hudson
Gregerson
This is ok to start the season, but there will be more injuries. The Cards have the depth, in pitching…it’s the linuep that worries me. Ozuna looks out of shape and shows no reason why he will be better than last year. Harper is that missing piece, then you can bat Goldy 2nd.
Carp
Goldy
Harper
Ozuna
DeJong
Molina
Bader
Wong
Goldy is great, but hes 31. Harper is 26….if I had to invest I’m going with the younger stud. Heck the Cards could sign them both.
socraticgadfly
Waino is not a real starter. Stop this nonsense. Plus, as I’ve said elsewhere, Wacha is an injury waiting to happen. His past history shows this.
spudchukar
I disagree about the bull pen. Both Mayers and Brebbia are out of options, and will either be dealt or part of the pen. I am pretty sure Cecil will begin the year in AAA, and Gregerson is hurt, and won’t start on the team. Besides, Mayers and Brebbia are better anyway. A healthy DeLeon will help, hopefully. But look for these three to be the primary back-ups, with Hicks and Miller ending games. Hudson will probably used as a multi-inning guy, who is always a starting option. And this doesn’t include, Gant, Poncedeleon, and Gomber.
cardsgoingyard
Inexcusable for Mo & Co. to not sign Keuchel. Definite 175-200+ innings, which only one other guy – Mikolas – gives them.
Cardinals17
Keuchel would have been signed already if he hadn’t over priced himself. Kimbrell is in that same boat. Instead of paying that much money for them, wouldn’t it be wiser to try to work a trade for a teams #1 or #2 starter from a team that is marginal and looking for good prospects??
baseballpun
There are no #1 or #2 starters available on the trade market at this time, unless you want to overpay.
cardsgoingyard
I’m good either way. Plenty of prospects to acquire a 1-2 starter, and plenty of money to spend on one, too. My guess is they do neither.
JMarJR99
The ONLY good reason to sign Keuchel is he’s Left Handed. That’s it. All signs point to a downtrend in his performance. Check his stats against good teams. He falls way short against teams that can hit (most of the NL Central). Plus he wants 3+ years of big money. The Cardinals do not need to blow money on a guy in what could be considered full regression. He’s not a Cy Young winner any longer. Why spend money on what a player USED to be. Don’t waste money.
GoldenArm
As far as getting a platelet-rich plasma injection, I believe Kershaw might be next on that list. I believe he may have over-extended his training this winter,,,just a guess,,,but his desire to regain his lost Velo is well known, and adding shoulder trouble to his chronic back problem that has cost him a lot of DL time 3 years straight, he could start the season on the Dl and maybe not come back until June or July. The Dodgers can’t risk rushing him back, so Urias, Stripling, and others are going to get to show what they have early this year.
Cardinals17
Also, I do hope that Mozeliak is watching the market on Player/Team extensions in regard to Goldschmidt. He needs to be extended prior to the season. Could get a better deal that way since he is 31 and a 4-6 year deal-Front loaded. Peralta’s contract was front loaded when he signed with the Cardinals. Good for both sides.
JPADA
If Goldy wanted an extension it would have happened in AZ. I think it’s pretty clear he wants to test free agency.
Francys01
John Mozeliak does not understand that pitching is never enough. This means that adding another starting pitcher can help the team in the long run since there is a lot of uncertainty in the rotation, Michael Wacha, Adam Wainwright and Carlos Martinez. We cannot blame Mike Matheny if the team does not perform well since he is not there anymore, but Mozeliak for not putting the best team in the field.
jlmini10
If he had a magic ball that would tell him Keuchel would be awesome and Dewitt was okay with the price, he probably would sign him. But he can’t see the future and wants to try the young pitchers out. I think he’d rather have a $500,000 mistake than a $20M one.
A Keuchel signing at $15-$20M per year puts the cardinals at a record opening day payroll and probably ties up most spending for the year. What if he sucks? Do you think Dewitt will want to trade for an expensive impact starter or trade away multiple top prospects for a cost controlled one? I doubt it. A Keuchel signing has way more potential to blow up in the cards faces than rolling with young pitchers who already showed well at the MLB level and have been winning AAA championships in my opinion.
Obviously my point is moot if Dewitt is okay running a $190-200M payroll. I just highly doubt that’s what he will do though.
pjmcnu
He will never start another game in his life.
its_happening
This is not good.
1-year, $12.5 mil Kuechel.