He appeared strong early against the Pirates on Friday night, too, allowing one run over his first three innings. By the fourth, however, Martinez looked out of sorts. Nine of the first 11 pitches he threw in the frame were balls, which drew a mound visit from pitching coach Derek Lilliquist.
Martinez remained in the game and got an infield popup on his first pitch to Jung Ho Kang with the bases full, then threw one pitch to Josh Harrison. Something in Martinez's motion caught the attention of Yadier Molina. The Cardinals catcher went to check on the right-hander and was soon followed by manager Mike Matheny and athletic trainer Adam Olsen.