JUPITER, Fla. • The grin gave it away before Carlos Martinez said a word.
“Did you see my cutter?” he asked.
After skipping his previous scheduled start in favor of a simulated game, Martinez returned to main stage at Roger Dean Stadium with a new trick. During his four innings and 68 pitches against Miami on Thursday, the Cardinals’ righthander mixed in several cutters — a fastball that has a tighter, sharper break than his slider. He used it effectively for an out in the first inning and set up two of his four strikeouts with it before lowering the most effective pitch he had, the changeup.