Carlos Martínez

BIOGRAPHY

Carlos Ernesto Martínez was born on September 21, 1991, in San Felipe de Puerto Plata, Colinas Del Sur, Dominican Republic. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

Carlos Martínez pitched for Aguilas in Dominican Winter League in 2014. He switched from uniform No.42 to No.18 prior to the 2015 season as a tribute to his teammate and friend Oscar Taveras. The Cardinals called up Martínez to the Major League club, the number-three prospect in their organization, on May 3, 2013. He made his major league debut against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park that night. In one inning pitched, the seventh, he gave up a single, then induced a double play he started on a ground ball hit back to him, and then secured the third out with another ground ball. On May 27, the Cardinals sent Martínez down to Triple-A Memphis after seven appearances on the mound and eight innings in which he posted a 4.50 ERA with nine strikeouts. With the Redbirds in 2013, he made 13 starts. In 68 IP, he allowed a 2.51 ERA with 54 hits, three home runs (HR), and 27 bases on balls (BB), while striking out 63.

For the first time in his career in 2015, Martínez made the Cardinals starting rotation, earning the fifth starter spot out of spring training. In his first four starts of the season, his ERA was 1.89. However, in consecutive starts against the Chicago Cubs on May 4 and the Pirates on May 9, he allowed 14 runs on 16 hits and 11 walks in two starts covering nine innings. His ERA jumped to 4.73 after those two starts.

Martinez started 31 games in the 2016 season, ending with a 16-9 record, a 3.04 ERA, and 195.1 innings pitched. 

On February 2, 2017, it was announced that Martínez had signed a five-year extension with the St. Louis Cardinals worth 51 million dollars. On April 2, 2017, Martinez pitched his first Opening Night start of his career, playing the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium. He struck out 10 and allowed no walks and six hits over 7 1⁄3 innings. He received a no-decision as Randal Grichuk hit a walk-off bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth. At Yankee Stadium on April 15, Martínez struck out 11 batters, and walked eight, becoming the first to record both of those marks in the same game since Randy Johnson in 1993. Martínez completed 5 1⁄3 innings in a 3−2 loss to New York. On June 10, Martinez pitched both his first career complete game and shutout while allowing four hits as the Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7–0.

For the second time in his career, Martínez became an All-Star selection, as resulted in a vote by fellow players. Through that point in the season, Martínez' 2.88 ERA ranked seventh in the NL, and his 10.2 K/9 was his career-best. Martínez pitched in 32 games (all starts) in 2017, compiling a 12-11 record, 3.64 ERA, and a 1.22 WHIP.

The Cardinals selected Martínez to start 2018 Opening Day, making it his second consecutive year doing so. It occurred versus the New York Mets on March 29, where he walked six and hit one batter, ending with a 9–4 defeat. He hit his first career home run on May 2, which was versus the Chicago White Sox. On the mound, he allowed five hits and one earned run over 7 1⁄3 innings to drop his ERA to 1.40 through that point in the season. Martinez finished the game pitching 7.1 innings as the Cardinals won a close game 3-2. On May 10, Martinez was placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a right lat strain. On July 21, Martinez was again placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a right oblique strain. He was activated on August 21 and moved to the bullpen. He finished 2018 with an 8-6 record and a 3.11 ERA in 33 games (18 starts) with five saves.