Martinez, who is still preparing as a starter ahead of the regular season, could nevertheless see his chances of returning to the closer role at some point increase with Jordan Hicks (elbow) opting out of playing in 2020, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
The situation clearly remains up in the air, and it's possible manager Mike Shildt opts to utilize several pitchers in the ninth-inning role throughout the 60-game campaign. However, the Cardinals skipper is increasingly thin on candidates at present, as Giovanny Gallegos is still grounded in Mexico with no semblance of an arrival date and Hicks is no longer an option for the second half of the season in the wake of his decision. Ryan Helsley remains a candidate as well and appears to have the stuff to succeed in high-leverage scenarios, but Martinez carries the appeal of a proven track record in the role after converting 24 of 27 save opportunities in the second half of last season. A decision may not be made until much closer to Opening Day, as the next few days should also give Shildt a chance to further evaluate Kwang-Hyun Kim's fitness for the No. 5 starter job that Martinez is hoping to secure.