This had been rumored for a while, but now it’s apparently official …
Carlos Martinez has received permission to wear No. 18 next season to honor Oscar Taveras #stlcards#cardinals
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) December 9, 2014
Martinez was longtime friends with the deceased Cardinals outfielder and pleaded with Taveras to come stay with him at a VIP resort the night before Oscar and his girlfriend died in a car crash. Martinez had been wearing No. 44, which manager Mike Matheny could now take. He gave his No. 22 to Jason Heyward.