The Cardinals’ search for rotation help has already led them to an intriguing name, and Nick Martinez checks a lot of boxes for a club that could use both innings and experience.
On Thursday, The Athletic’s Tim Britton, Johnny Flores Jr. and Chad Jennings published a free-agent roundup that ranked the top 40 available players, projected contracts and identified possible landing spots. St. Louis showed up among the best fits for Tampa Bay Rays All-Star Nick Martinez, alongside the Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals.
“The good news: Martinez made his first All-Star team, earned some potential down-ballot Cy Young votes, served as an excellent No. 2 for a pennant-winner, and burnished his reputation as one of the game’s great teammates. The bad news: Boy that strikeout rate is eye-opening in the wrong way. ... Best fits: [Atlanta Braves], [Miami Marlins], [San Diego Padres], STL, [Washington Nationals].”
Martinez would bring more than just a veteran arm. The Cardinals are the youngest team in baseball, with an average age of 25.9 years old, so adding a 36-year-old with nine seasons in the big leagues would give the clubhouse a steadier presence. That kind of voice matters on a roster built around youth.
He also just turned in the best season of his career in 2026, posting a 3.10 ERA with a 109-to-26 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 180 innings. That came after a career path that took a detour: Martinez didn’t pitch in the majors from 2018 through 2021, spending that stretch in Japan before returning in 2022.
Since coming back, he has put together a 3.53 ERA in 223 total appearances. Over his first four major league seasons, he had a 4.77 ERA in 88 appearances.
That kind of turnaround is part of what makes Martinez appealing. He’s been through the grind, come out the other side, and established himself as a reliable arm again.
For a young Cardinals team, that matters. Not everything comes easy over the course of a season, and a veteran who has already navigated his own career reset can be useful in a room full of players still finding their way.
On the field, he would also fill a need St. Louis currently has: a frontline starter.
Off the field, he would add a veteran presence in the clubhouse. For a team this young, that combination makes Martinez look like exactly the type of move the Cardinals should be considering.
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