Carlos Martinez to wear No. 18 to honor Oscar Taveras

Right-hander Carlos Martinez has received permission from the St. Louis Cardinals to change his uniform number in time for the coming season. Martinez will wear the number 18 jersey, last worn by his late friend and teammate Oscar Taveras who was tragically killed in an car accident during the World Series.

The team notified Martinez of the decision on Monday, according to an Associated Press report (via ESPN.com).

Taveras made his long-anticipated debut with the Cardinals last May. The outfielder didn’t light the league on fire during his rookie campaign, hitting just .239/.278/.312 in 80 games, but it was clear that the 22 year old figured into the club’s long term plans. News of the accident that took his life struck the franchise, the fans, and the players hard. Martinez was among those who attended funeral services in the Dominican Republic, as he and Taveras had been especially close.

Miranda Remaklus at Redbird Rants noted that the team’s decision ends weeks of speculation, but all along they were expected to approve the request. She also notes that Mike Matheny will take Martinez’s number 44 jersey, after giving his number 22 to Jason Heyward.