However, manger Brad Ausmus mentioned that Martinez could strap on the pads during the first month of the 2015 season when his club goes to play the Pittsburgh Pirates for a three-game interleague series.
Ausmus knows a ton about catching, judging by his three Gold Golve awards as a man behind the plate. If Miguel Cabrera is healthy enough to play first against the Pirates, Martinez will be catching behind home plate.
"If Miggy's available, then Victor would be an option at catcher," Ausmus told Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press.
Putting Martinez at his old position would allow Ausmus to keep his top hitter in the lineup even without the value of the designated hitter. If Cabrera can not play, however, Martinez would start at first base.
"So early on, it's going to depend where Miggy is," Ausmus said.
Cabrera is working to return from a right ankle surgery in October that removed bone spurs and repaired a stress fracture. He recently was cleared to remove his walking boot and will be evaluated by doctors on February 15.
"We're hopeful, at that point, he gets turned loose," general manager Dave Dombrowski said at TigerFest on January 24. "If he's not ready for Opening Day, it's going to be very, very close."
-Evan Petzold