Nov. 13: Wainwright will receive $1.5MM upon making his 20th and 25th starts, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter). He’ll unlock an additional $2MM for making his 28th start.
Interestingly, the contract also contains incentives based on relief appearances. Wainwright would earn $500K upon making his 35th relief outing and another $500K for every fifth appearance moving forward — up through 60 total appearances. He’ll also receive $500K for finishing 25 and 30 games, plus an additional $600K for 35, 40, 45, 50 and 55 games finished.
Nov. 12: 3:05pm: Wainwright’s new contract guarantees him $5MM and includes an additional $5MM in possible incentives, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets.
10:08am: The Cardinals have agreed to re-sign righty Adam Wainwright, per a club announcement. It’s a one-year deal of unknown value for the Aegis Sports Management client.
This is the second consecutive year the veteran hurler has re-upped with the Cards after a brief free agency. But the conversation was rather different this time than it was when Wainwright took an incentive-laden pact nearly one year ago to the day.
Wainwright ended up maxing out his bonuses, turning a $2MM guarantee into $10MM of earnings. The venerable rotation stalwart earned every penny, spinning 171 2/3 frames of 4.19 ERA ball with 8.0 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9.
This was surely the most predictable of this year’s free agent outcomes, with the team stating frankly just days ago that talks were already well underway. Wainwright obviously isn’t capable of dominating as he once did, but the Cardinals would gladly take a repeat of his 2019 effort. And it goes without saying that both sides enjoy a relationship that will enter its 15th MLB campaign.
Originally drafted by the Braves way back in 2000, the now-38-year-old Wainwright landed in St. Louis via trade in the 2003-04 offseason. He hasn’t left the organization since. There were a few lost years — all of 2011, most of 2015 and 2018 — but on balance it has been quite a success.
Wainwright passed two thousand career innings during the 2019 campaign. He has a lifetime 3.39 ERA along with three All-Star appearances and a trio of top-three Cy Young finishes. Wainwright has also topped the century mark in postseason frames and excelled all the more on the biggest stage. He owns a lifetime 2.81 ERA in the playoffs, with 9.8 K/9 against 1.5 BB/9, including three exceptional appearances just weeks ago.
While this move comes as expected, it does make for a key part of the Cardinals offseason. With Wainwright now slotted in along with Jack Flaherty, Miles Mikolas, and Dakota Hudson, the Cards can probably rest easy in the rotation. Carlos Martinez and Alex Reyes are high-ceiling possibilities for the fifth starter’s job, with Austin Gomber and Genesis Cabrera among the other possibilities. With limited available space under the team’s preferred payroll levels, it may be that the remaining funds will be allocated to other areas of need.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
everyone better be 1/1 now.
I got it wrong, said Yankees.
Jeff is going to tell us in the “more to come” that 97% picked the Cardinals to re-sign Waino.
You haven’t been coming to MLB Trade rumors. This was a freebie
Damnit I picked the Arizona Cardinals by accident.
Yes. I am glad that Wainwright Will be back with the Cards.
I am, now it all goes down hill or down to where Rich Hill signs.
There weren’t very many blatantly obvious matches, but this was definitely one of them.
Oh, tight. That’s tight. That’s so tight.
We are all batting 1000. Enjoy it while it lasts
As long as the price isn’t too high. Quality guy who should be allowed to retire a Cardinal.
Must be very valuble
Got one pick right! Good start
I felt the same way last year when I nailed Corbin to the Nats. It’s only downhill from here…
I’m guessing that I just got my first and last pick correct! I’ll end up with “1 right”
They are mean to really good players so I would say 750K
Strange comment
But are they nice to really bad players?
The Cardinals? Yes, they certainly can be…. See Brett Cecil.
Yeah, other teams never give out contracts that don’t work out…./eyeroll
Shocked
1 for 1. that was a toughie.
This is a good day, thank you.
I’m glad. It makes me happy to see Wainwright in a Cardinal uniform. One of the great men in the game, and a pretty good pitcher in 2019. He’s become a “pitch-maker” – someone who gets into trouble, then get’s out (usually) by making one great pitch to take advantage of a hitter’s over-eagerness. While it’s fun to watch Flaherty dominate with his stuff, or Jordan Hicks to throw gas, it’s even more fun for me to see a craftsman like Wainwright try to defy time. I think most young pitchers learn a lot from being around him.
Couldn’t agree more. Craftsman absolutely nails it as a description. The NLCS game two – which I appreciate he lost to Scherzer – was just a pleasure to watch. No or at least very few signals between him and Molina – two guys on completely the same page. Will look forward to watching his starts next season.
Lol! 1/1 so far….
WOW! I already got half as many right (WAIN-right!) as last year!!
So i’ll be 1/50 yay!
When will the leader board be up?
It would be a shame to see Waino in a different uniform. Glad he is back!
Wainwright is what Cardinals Nation represents a class act
Great! If you missed this one take a lap
No care about winning a WS. Let’s just make sure sheeple get what they want. Molina and Wainwright to retire together while prospects get traded and pushed back.
So other than the soon to be 28 year old Daniel Ponce de Leon & possibly Jake Woodford, who exactly is Wainwright blocking? Because the Cards look pretty ropey at AAA level. There’s no-one else – as a starter – with an ERA that would fit on a dice.
As for Molina – Knizner shows promise but Hudson is hardly smashing down the door. If it was Buster Posey & Joey Bart I could understand, but man, come on!
He’s not blocking anyone. Weaver and Kelly were traded for Goldschmidt. Had those two still been around then you may have a point. But not too many people had issues with the Goldy deal a year ago.
Looks not so great now. Specifically the extension. But bringing Waino back is nothing but a good move. He’s. A Dependable #4 starter.
Seriously?! Besides Ponce de Leon, there’s also Carlos Martinez, Gant, Gomber, and if he can ever stay healthy, Reyes. It’s just that they were either already on the MLB roster (C-Mart, Gant, PdL) or injured (Reyes, Gomber) for almost the entire 2019 season, so there was no point in looking at AAA numbers.
However, it’s unwise for a contending team to initially plan on giving more than one rotation spot to a total question mark, so this is still a good move. The other guys can fight for the last spot, while the losers go to the bullpen and/or AAA (at least initially).
You literally have no idea what type of deal he signed.. So how can you say it isn’t about this team trying to get the world series? Then you make stupid comments about prospects being pushed back? Who? Gomber, Ponce, Reyes? Who got traded? Did we miss something? People like you are turds. All you do is complain because they don’t win the world series every freaking year. But even if they did, you would find something to complain about, something like it was luck or the other team underperformed.. I really wish there was a way to ban trolls like you. It would make it nice to have an actual conversation about baseball with real intelligent fans…
And then there are people who make angry, nasty comments about other people. Just can’t pass ’em by and move on. Gotta make a scene.
Are you just angry because you werent planned?
Not angry and could care less if I was planned or not planned. I mean really, what kind of insult is that? I will tell you that I am tired of people who troll and complain to bring others down. Do trolls enjoy being ignorant to people and bringing the conversation down numerous levels? Instead of having a conversation people like CFAP are Debbie downers. Could have said, not happy with the signing and explained why. Instead he insults people and says nonsense.
On the topic of insults, who called who a turd?
Yes, I sure did. I called all trolls turds. I would think most would agree that they fall in that category. Everyone is entitled to there own opinions, which I respect. But the negativity that trolls like that bring to any discussion ruins any chance to have a good debate/discussion.
Its wasnt directed at you. IT was absolutely directed at CPAP.
Apologies…
$6 million with incentives to boost it to $13.
Just an educated guess.
I think it’s a good thing for both sides !
Question – wouldn’t it work for waino to go to the bullpen for this year like he did back in the beginning ?? Sign a lefty starter and let waino work towards a bullpen utility role kinda like Miller ?
Just a thought
Lefty starters are highly overrated. Including this past season, their 105-win juggernaut that won the 2004 Pennant, and their World Championship of 2006, there have been several years over the past couple of decades that the Cardinals have made the playoffs with entirely right-handed rotations (give a few starts here and there).
Besides, there’s a chance that the lefty Gomber wins the last rotation spot or gets called up as a replacement starter at some point next season, anyway.
Agree to disagree – too many tough left handed bats in the central (or in the NL in general) that have bad left handed splits .
Gomber being our 5th pitcher isn’t bad, but then you have waino and gomber as our 4th and 5th ?
Sounds like a rotation that isn’t inclined to try to win a championship … just my opinion.
Now a Kiechel and Waino, I could be really happy with … while Gomber gets stretched out and waits for an injury (I actually really like Gomber) . I had hoped he was our number 5 last year until he started getting hurt
Well crap. I said he would retire. I had my competitive Cards hat on, not my emotional cap…. Good for him. Now he can fight for either #5 role or pen.
Every team needs a guy like Waino
I hope he considers coaching after he retires. If the Cards can keep him and Yadi as coaches, it could be a great benefit to future Card teams.
1/50
Nobody does nostalgia better than the cardinals. Congratulations to Fredbird’s progeny, Waino.
Looks like I’m going to win!!
What is the value like from the Cardinal fans on Andrew Knizner? Catching prospect for their future or trade bait for an arm?
I think we view him as the heir to yadi. He’s a bat first catcher that’s been refining his skills behind the plate under yadi, and skills that apparently weren’t too bad to begin with. But seeing as though we traded Carson Kelly, I think knizner is next in line. I like his upside.
Fair enough. Angels are looking for a catcher and I’m just curious what the thoughts on Knizner were. Thanks!
Phew I almost picked retirement but ended up going with him going back to the cards
Was sick when Atlanta traded him, however have been a fan of Adam ever since, fine pitcher, especially in his prime and a good guy who never caused any issues for the Cardinals or Braves.
Hope he wins 15 plus again !
Gardner to the Yanks seems like the other freebie, no?
If we had the starting rotation . Cardinals are in a great spot for next year, as typical.
Good deal, lots of incentives loaded into it like there should be, glad to see them agree to a deal. One more year of old uncle Charlie
I think this is a lame move on Wainwright’s part insofar as his colleagues are concerned. He is massively accomplished pitcher who just had a good or better year and an excellent post season and he settled for a $5m guarantee with with $10m max out. He could have quintupled that guarantee effortlessly. I get people wanting to play for a certain team and “wanting to help the team” (sort of), but depressing his salary from it’s market value is really detrimental to all the other free agents out there.
He akways,said it’s not about money. He said it’s his goal to die basically broke. He wants his girls taken care and to learn the value of a dollar but other than that it’s not about money
He made his money, he wants to stay in St Louis. Nothing wrong with that. Waino does not hurt the future value of other pitchers, everybody knows he is the exception and getting paid below market value
I don’t understand why people think Wainwright is good but rag on Teheran.
They have pretty similar stats. Julio’s were actually a bit better in 2019.
Shocking
The Cardinals have talked to
Waino!
Trade rumors off on the value on the contract predictions for Adam. … think they said 1 year 8 mil