What would have revealed itself over the weekend if the Cardinals took a two-run lead into the seventh inning against Pittsburgh and their sizzling sinkerballer did not enter the game, the club opted to make official before it was obvious.
Jordan Hicks, the team's former closer, will begin the season as their fifth starter.
That's starter, not opener, manager Oliver Marmol stressed.
Hicks will start Tuesday against Kansas City, and while his pitch count is not yet built up to the point that he can pitch five or six innings, he will gain that stamina on the job, the Cardinals said.