St. Louis Cardinals: Carlos Martinez aiming for a return to the rotation

The St. Louis Cardinals could have reinforcement coming to a struggling rotation very soon in Carlos Martinez, how good will he be if he does in fact return?

The St. Louis Cardinals had a very stacked rotation last year, consisting of 2-time All-Star Carlos Martinez, All-Star Miles Mikolas, and the former top prospect Jack Flaherty. Going into the 2019 season, there were a lot of high expectations for the rotation, but sadly, it has been a massive disappointment so far. Though both Mikolas and Flaherty have regressed, the “ace” of the staff, Carlos Martinez, has not made a single start for the St. Louis Cardinals this season.

At the beginning of Spring Training, the Cardinals announced that Carlos Martinez was still dealing with a lingering shoulder problem and would not be throwing for at least a few weeks. Considering that he had dealt with shoulder problems last season, this was the last thing that Cardinal fans wanted to hear about Martinez, and it put a panic through Cardinals Nation.

In late April, the Cardinals announced that they would put Carlos Martinez in the bullpen rather than ease him back into the starting rotation. This might have been due to his injury problems over the last year. Or maybe because of his success out of the bullpen last season, where he compiled a 1.47 ERA and also had five saves. Regardless, Carlos Martinez is easily a top of the rotation arm and should not be in the bullpen for an extended time.

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There are even some fans who are going as far as to say that the Cardinals are wasting Carlos Martinez’s talent away in the bullpen, and he hasn’t been as effective in the bullpen as he was last year either. He currently has a 4.15 ERA in eight appearances and has struggled in big-time situations as well. Instead of rushing him back to be a reliever, the Cardinals should ease him back as a starter, even if that includes making a couple of starts in the minor leagues to get back up to par.

In a recent interview with Jim Hayes of FOX Sports Midwest, Carlos talked about how he was aiming to rejoin the rotation after the All-Star break, and that manager Mike Shildt and Martinez were on the same page. So there is definitely a shot at getting Martinez back where he belongs, barring any injuries.

Having Martinez back in the everyday rotation would be huge for a rotation that clearly needs the help. He has been a very solid starter throughout his career, with a 50-34 record to go with a 3.36 ERA.

Though some people might not like Martinez for his wild hair colors or goofy antics, there is no question that Martinez has electric stuff and can be an important piece for St. Louis. Martinez also has multiple All-Star Game appearances and has proven himself as one of the best pitchers in the NL Central when he is healthy.