Brendan Marks, Mon, 30 Mar 2015 20:30:00 GMT

st. louis cardinals pitcher carlos martinez will enter the 2015 season as the team’s fifth starter in the rotation, manager mike matheny told assembled media on monday, according to derrick goold of the st. louis post-dispatch.

Goold’s report follows that of MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch, who reported earlier in the day that all indications were Martinez would be in the rotation.

According to Goold, Marco Gonzales, the other candidate to start for the Cardinals, will be optioned to Triple-A Memphis and be the ace of that staff.

Martinez is scheduled to pitch the Cardinals fifth game of the season against the Cincinnati Reds on April 11.

Left-hander Jaime Garcia was assumed to be the fifth starter in the rotation heading into the weekend, but he is suffering from a bout of arm fatigue.

Download: Rick Hummel Talks Cardinals on The Morning After

Goold earlier reported veteran relief pitcher Carlos Villanueva has made the Opening Day roster, another indication Martinez would start the season in the rotation.

According to Goold, the Cardinals will take five starters into the regular season and not use the early-season off days to have a four-man rotation.

Download: Joe Strauss Talks Cardinals Baseball on The Morning After

Garcia’s recover timetable is unclear, though it will be long enough to keep him off the Opening Day roster.