Carlos Martinez is ramping up his arm strength as he prepares to join the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen, hopefully within the next two weeks. Martinez has been out with a right shoulder issue since the start of the season, and he will be a reliever when he comes back.
He began his rehab assignment with Low-A Peoria, and recorded three groundouts on six pitches, although his pitch speed hovered around 93 mph. On May 8, he appeared in a game with Triple-A Memphis and was hitting 98 mph with his fastball.
While the Cardinals rotation could use some help, the team feels Martinez will contribute the most as a bullpen weapon.