LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. • With the calendar working against them and the wish to have his prized arm work for them, the Cardinals are shifting Alex Reyes, officially, to the bullpen for the remainder of spring training.

If he opens the season with the Cardinals — something manager Mike Shildt and the front office have said they hope he'll earn — Reyes will do so as a reliever. Shildt explained the shift to relief and its ramifications in a conversation with reporters on the road trip before unleashing Reyes on the Atlanta Braves in the seventh inning. Reyes pitched around an error and got two strikeouts on curveballs for a scoreless inning in relief.

"Right now, Alex is on track to compete and make our opening day (roster)," Shildt said. "Right now it would be as a reliever, because there’s no chance for him to be built up as a starter."

In his two previous Grapefruit League outings, Reyes had struggled with his command. He walked the first two batters he faced in his most recent inning, and to win a job in the bullpen he must sharpen that feel. Still, Shildt lauded Reyes' ability to keep his composure and keep that inning under control before it unraveled.

There was never a chance for that to happen Tuesday.

Reyes got ahead on all four batters he faced. He would have finished the inning on 11 pitches with two strikeouts if not for an error at third base by Drew Robinson. Reyes got five swings and misses on pitches, and both of his strikeouts came on strike-3 curveball. With the help off a runner thrown out at second base, Reyes finished his inning on 14 pitches, 11 of which were strikes.

"I feel like my stuff will play out of the bullpen or as a starter," Reyes said after the scoreless inning. "Whatever the organization feels is right I’m down for it. And if that’s in the bullpen or as a starter, I’m open to whatever. I’m excited to be a part of the team, whichever role."

The Cardinals also have a meeting Wednesday with Carlos Martinez to determine if he's going to begin his recovery from shoulder issues as a starter or reliever.

As a starter, he would be ready in a month or more.

As a reliever, opening day is improbable — all but ruled out — but he could return swifter in April.

Shildt acknowledged that the Cardinals have had parallel conversations about Reyes and his readiness for the majors. First, they discussed whether he could be ready for opening day and what role that would look like if he did. Second, they have discussed how to get him into the mix in the majors as a starter. With spring training's runway shortening, the opening for him on the opening day roster was as a reliever.

That invited the question on how they could use him as a reliever now and still prep to be a starter later.

What the Cardinals want to have happen in the closing weeks of spring is getting Reyes a series of one-inning outings. The last of those could be Tuesday. If he recovers well, the Cardinals would then add a second inning to his appearances or consider him for back-to-back use. Shildt said he would like to see Reyes ready for both assignments.

What he doesn't want to have happen is Reyes enter the season with strings attached. And the preference would not be to schedule days off for him — responding instead to his use and his recovery.

"I don't think we want to go into something (the season) that we feel he's clearly (limited)," Shildt said. "I’d like to check both of those boxes of multiple innings and back to back."