Major League Baseball announced Thursday that Martinez accepted an 85-game suspension, retroactive to June 19, for violating the league's Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Out of baseball since being released from his minor-league deal with the Red Sox in mid-May, Martinez had recently finished serving an 80-game suspension for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drugs policy. Since his latest ban is retroactive to June 19, the 30-year-old Martinez should be eligible to compete again early in the 2023 season, but the nature of his latest ban in addition to his stark downturn in performance on the mound over the past few years makes it unlikely that he'll get another opportunity in affiliated ball.
Major League Baseball suspended Martinez for 80 games Friday for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
The veteran right-hander was at spring training with the Giants before latching on with the Red Sox, but he was cut by Boston after giving up 10 runs over two appearances at the Triple-A level. Martinez will be eligible to return late in 2022 but seems unlikely to receive another big-league opportunity this season.
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Carlos Martinez: Let go by Boston
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Martinez was released by the Red Sox on Tuesday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Martinez signed with Boston on a minor-league deal in early May, and he's been let go after surrendering 10 runs across his first two appearances with Triple-A Worcester. The veteran right-hander finished 2021 with a 6.23 ERA over 82.1 innings, and he'll need to prove himself in the minors before receiving another big-league opportunity, assuming there's another team willing to take a flier on him.
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Red Sox's Carlos Martinez: Debuts at Triple-A
Rotowire
Martinez (thumb) was cleared to make his Triple-A Pawtucket debut May 8 and has thus far appeared in two starts for the affiliate, giving up 10 earned runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out four over 4.1 innings.
Martinez signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox earlier in May shortly after he was released by the Giants without having made an appearance for the organization. The 30-year-old was brought along slowly by the Giants in spring training after his 2021 campaign was cut short by a thumb ligament injury that required surgery, but he's ostensibly healthy now. Martinez's previous track record of success in the majors makes him more intriguing than the typical veteran minor-league arm, but he'll need to deliver better results over a prolonged period before the Red Sox give him a look in the big-league rotation or bullpen.
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Red Sox's Carlos Martinez: Joins Boston on minors deal
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Martinez (thumb) signed a minor-league deal with the Red Sox on Saturday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.
Martinez joined the Giants on a minor-league deal in mid-March after missing most of last season with a torn thumb ligament. He didn't make the major-league roster and was released in late April without having pitched at any minor-league affiliate. It's unclear whether or not he's fully recovered from his thumb injury, so it's unclear whether he'll pitch for a Red Sox affiliate right away.
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Giants' Carlos Martinez: Won't break camp in big leagues
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Martinez (thumb) will remain at the Giants' Arizona complex once the regular season begins, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Martinez joined the team on a minor-league deal after missing the second half of last season with a torn thumb ligament. He's yet to throw a pitch in a Cactus League game, so he'll continue to build up at the complex in an effort to eventually earn a big-league roster spot.
Giants' Carlos Martinez: Signs MiLB deal with Giants
Rotowire
Martinez (thumb) signed a minor-league contract with the Giants on Sunday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Martinez missed the second half of the 2021 season after tearing a thumb ligament in early July, but he began a throwing program in early November and pitched in winter ball. He should compete for a roster spot during major-league spring training, and he'll make $2.5 million if he reaches the big leagues in 2022. If the right-hander's thumb injury is fully healed, he'll be in consideration for a back-end rotation role this spring.
Martinez (thumb) has begun a throwing program and intends to pitch in winter ball, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Martinez was quite a good pitcher at his peak, cruising to a 3.22 ERA over a five-year stretch from 2015 to 2019. He's struggled mightily over the last two seasons, however, posting a 6.95 ERA across 21 starts while striking out just 15.8 percent of opposing batters. He tore a thumb ligament in early July and wound up missing the rest of the season, but he seemingly has time to build up to full strength by the start of next year. His poor performance over the last two seasons means he may have to reestablish his value in a relief role in 2022, but there's at least some upside here considering his past success and the fact that he's still just 30 years old.
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Carlos Martinez: Option declined
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The Cardinals declined Martinez's (shoulder) team option Thursday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Martinez spent the last nine seasons with the Cardinals but will now become a free agent ahead of the 2022 campaign. Across the last two seasons, the 30-year-old recorded a 6.95 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 21 starts. He missed the second half of the 2021 season due to a torn thumb ligament, and it's not yet clear whether the issue will impact his availability to begin spring training.
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Cardinals' Carlos Martinez: Plays catch
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Martinez (thumb) played catch on the field Thursday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Martinez is considered unlikely to return before the end of the season, though he's not yet been completely ruled out. The fact that he's throwing in some capacity is certainly a positive sign, but he's still several steps from getting back into game action and doesn't seem to have the time to complete those steps before the campaign ends.
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Cardinals' Carlos Martinez: Unlikely to return in '21
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Martinez (thumb) is highly unlikely to return this season, the team's official site reports.
The right-hander hasn't been able to do much throwing since his mid-July surgery to repair a ligament in the thumb on his throwing hand. While manager Mike Shildt hasn't completely ruled out the possibility of the veteran returning to the big-league mound before season's end, he conceded last week that "it's going to be hard for him to do."
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Cardinals' Carlos Martinez: Undergoes thumb procedure
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Manager Mike Shildt said Monday that Martinez underwent surgery to repair the torn ligament in his right thumb, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The 29-year-old is ineligible to return until early September after being moved to the 60-day injured list earlier this month, and there's a chance he misses the rest of the season after undergoing the procedure. If unable to retake the mound in 2021, Martinez will finish the season with a 6.23 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 57:36 K:BB over 82.1 innings.
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Cardinals' Carlos Martinez: Transferred to 60-day IL
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Martinez (thumb) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Friday.
Martinez hit the 10-day injured list with a torn thumb ligament Wednesday, and the issue appears to be quite serious. He'll be ineligible to return before early September, but there's a chance he's already done for the year if surgery winds up being required. Luis Garcia was signed in a corresponding move.
Martinez (thumb) was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right thumb ligament strain, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The righty threw a side session this week after exiting Sunday's start with what was initially thought to be a bruised thumb. However, this latest development means Martinez will be sidelined until after the All-Star break, and it's unclear whether he'll require longer than a minimum stay on the IL. Lars Nootbaar was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move.
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Cardinals' Carlos Martinez: Dealing with torn thumb ligament
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Martinez will be sidelined for the near future by a torn ligament in his right thumb, Zachary Silver of MLB.com reports.
The right-hander landed on the injured list earlier in the day with what was labeled a ligament strain, but he's apparently dealing with a full tear of the thumb ligament. Martinez doesn't have a timetable for his return given the recency of the diagnosis, but he can be ruled out indefinitely while he continues to be evaluated and begins treatment back in St. Louis.
