The Cardinals have gotten fantastic work from Adam Wainwright for the bulk of his career, and that’s again been the case in 2021. Despite having just turned 40 years old, the veteran right-hander has been one of the better pitchers in the National League. With no signs of diminishing effectiveness, Wainwright intends to return for the 2022 season, he tells Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat (Twitter link).
Wainwright was a multi-time All-Star and Cy Young award contender at his peak from 2009-14, but he looked to have lost some effectiveness in the immediate aftermath of an April 2015 Achilles tear. The veteran had his worst four seasons from 2016-19, looking as if he’d settled in as more a competent back-of-the-rotation arm than the ace-caliber hurler he’d been earlier in his career.
That changed last season, when Wainwright posted a 3.15 ERA over 65 2/3 innings. Because of the truncated nature of the 2020 campaign, it seemed easy to write that level of performance off as a sample size blip and expect Wainwright to return to something closer to the cumulative 4.58 ERA he’d managed over the prior four seasons. Even the Cardinals seemed a bit apprehensive about buying completely into Wainwright’s 2020 resurgence, as he re-signed on a lower-cost $8MM guarantee last winter.
It’s impossible to dismiss Wainwright now, though, as he’s been excellent over a full season’s worth of work. He owns a 2.91 ERA across 176 innings, the sixteenth-lowest mark among the 104 pitchers with 100+ innings pitched. Wainwright’s 22.6% strikeout rate and 6.1% walk percentage aren’t far off his best marks in those regards, and he’s induced ground-balls at a solid 46.8% clip. While he doesn’t have overpowering raw stuff, Wainwright has generally succeeded at avoiding damaging contact with pinpoint command of his sinker and more liberal usage of his signature curveball, as Ben Clemens of FanGraphs recently explored.
Wainwright is again scheduled to reach free agency this offseason, although it’s hard to envision him landing anywhere other than St. Louis. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last week that the club intended to present a one-year extension offer to Wainwright in the near future. And after bringing back franchise catcher Yadier Molina for one final run in 2022, it stands to reason the St. Louis front office is equally motivated to work out an agreement to keep Wainwright in the fold for the seventeenth consecutive season.
Outside chance at hitting 200 wins next year. Wins don’t mean what they used to, but that’s still a cool milestone to hit.
I think given the way pitching is managed now 200 wins is about as impressive . Verlander? Grienke? Lester? in front of him
@Dad
Will you please stop posting on the internet & come pick me up? It’s been dark for hours. & I’m really hungry.
Dad’s busy, alright, daisy? If ya see this fella Elmer Fudd… funny-lookin… he’s there to fetch you home, son.
Yo ducky long time no talk I haven’t been on for a min because of the passing of a loved one and right after I broke my phone a few days later. I think dad is talking out of his a$$ yes max, grenkie, kersh, and Jv are better than wanio but in this generation of bb I think we were lucky to see 5+ staters play at a hof level. Also what’s impressive is that wanio is doing what he is doing at age 40. Tbh if it wasn’t for a “washed up 40” my birds are fighting the Cubs and pit for last place.
Scherzer and Kershaw are ahead of him too.
he finally learned how to’pitch’
Pretty stupid comment, but I would never expect anything less from your moms basement.
my mom doesn’t have a basement. in this area, basements are swimming pools
Do you realize how juvenile you sound with comments like, Mom’s basement nonsense?
Do you think I give a shiz what you think?
Binnington, yes I think you do.
2005 called, it wants “shiz” back :p
I don’t have anything to add to the conversation, that was a throwback
Disjointed Clown – well, you’re wrong.
Quit embarrassing the Blues goalie and create your own forum name.
Better than you
Slide- I don’t appreciate that comment especially coming from someone that is supposed to be a Cardinals fan. If you like the Cardinals, please don’t talk about a pitcher that have done so much for the organization.
there’s a lot more throwers, than pitchers
Not sure what you mean by that – Wainwright at his peak had elite control., and didn’t blow by guys with big K numbers. He was and is the definition of a pitcher.
You’re confusing “learning how to pitch” with bouncing back after some challenging post-injury years.
@cam you hit the nail on the head there was never any question that wanio could pitch, the question was always after the Achilles injury could he physically pitch again. I’m really glad wanio proved me wrong because I thought he was done but just like this season I held out hope that he could come back and be at least a 3-5 guy and I’m glad he is making me eat crow by being the ace of old this season.
Going to look good in Pirate black and yellow
Lol they’re is a 0.00000000000000000000000000001% that happens.
You’re hilarious. Besides the obvious reasons this would never happen…like the Pirates would ever consider signing a player that would help them contend.
So would any number of AA players that make up their team
The Cards should offer him a fair contract now like they did Yadi
Hells yes. I know it’s because I’m in my 40’s now but I’ve got a special place in my heart for guys who’ve been beset by injuries who persevere to adapt to new ways of doing old things.. I can identify with that. Hope he and Hill and Votto, Cruz, etc. keep on trucking for a few more years.
On a (kinda) Cardinals note. Pujols homered today. Looking at his stats this year they aren’t too bad. He’s obviously not a star anymore but if he had gone and been an everyday DH on a team I think he would have had a decent season. Probably like .235 average 30 homers 80 RBI’s. Obviously that’s not a guarantee just my opinion
He’s got the power, especially against lefties still. His bomb in SF this weekend looked almost like 10+ years ago Albert. Stood up strong mid swing
Not sure he’s really an every day DH. He’s pretty meh against righties nowadays.
Albert didn’t fare so well as a DH for the Angels.
If Morton just pulled in $20M, I’m sure he can, too.
The Braves just gave Morton $20 million for a one-year extension and he’s approaching 38. The Cardinals better not skimp on Wainwright. He deserves a similar deal.
Waino has been the Cardinals best pitcher this year. He .takes the ball every fifth day and gives his team a chance to win. There are 29 other MLB teams who would gladly take that consistency in their rotation.
Father Time will come for Waino at some point, and when he does, as is the case with most, it won’t be pretty. To wit, Father Time lacks a sense of humor.
Honestly he and Verlander are the two most consistent pitchers of recent history. I think Adam is more than deserving of the HoF if Mussina is in….
You’re insane. Mussina’s numbers are way better.
Grienke Kershaw Scherzer and DeGrom beg to differ
Mussina 82 WAR. Pitched his ENTIRE CAREER in the very tough AL EAST. Wainwright 44 WAR. PITCHED ENTIRE CAREER in weak NL CENTRAL. I really wish this HOF talk would stop. Mussina beats him in just about every statistical category there is. And it took Mussina 6 tries to get in, and he’s still argued as a questionable selection.
Um. No.
Um, no…what?
I never was looking to offend anyone I don’t understand why people get so rude and argumentative. I agree there are alot of great pitchers from this era! I never said Mike Mussina was bad either in anyway I just was speaking to how many people consider him borderline which I think Wainwright also is.
Whether you believe in the WAR stat or not, the difference of 38 points is huge between Mussina and Wainwright.
He’s a petulant child, unable to handle another person’s opinion.
I know the eye test isn’t relevant anymore but in my short lifespan I have watched a lot of bb and a lot of great players. IMO I think Mussina, Carpenter and wanio should be in the hall. All 3 of them guys were warriors and took that ball every 5th day and put there team in a position to win. I know this is an apples to oranges comparison but if baines is a hof’er then how is the guys I mentioned not hof’ers
Please don’t become a Met. Please don’t become a Met.
I have zero doubt that the Cardinal marketing team is already sending memos titled “Make sure Wainwright starts the last home game.”
Get the gang together, sign Pujols too. He’ll hit about 15-20 homers with a batting average higher than Matt Carpenter
That BA isn’t hard
Batting average lol
Pujols will stay with the Dodgers if they’ll have him back. He’s in a position to close out his career with another World Series win. I think Cardinals fans think he wants to come back to St. Louis more than he actually does. Pujols will sign a one day contract with St. Louis when he’s ready to retire so he can retire as a Cardinal but I don’t believe he will ever wear their uniform again. Just an opinion though so doesn’t mean I’m correct.
If Pujols hits 21 more homers he reaches 700. I wonder of he gets the chance.
Would love to see him and Cabrera back to back in a game. Comon’ Detroit. They can platoon between 1B and DH.
This is a great example of why fans would make the worst gms.
When they join Sabatthia playing softball
Why would you platoon 2 right-handed hitters?
Of course he does. The marketing money that comes from that is immense
I bet he will be back with the Cardinals!! I hope he does, he’s one of my all time favorites!!
Wainright is a stud. Has been for years. St. Louis is a top 5 organization. They know talent. You can’t argue with their results over decades. I hope Pujols goes back there too. He deserves better than being a Dodger.
So Pujols deserves better than going out as a winner? He’s on the defending WS champion team, and they don’t look like they’re slowing down any time soon. Your blindness gives you zero credibility on here when you make comments like this.
Cards know talent alright. They trade it all away.
Wainwright pitches against the Dodgers tomorrow. Tough game for them. As much as I hate to predict this, the Redbirds win that game.
The Cards couldn’t beat LA last night when LA used a bullpen. It looks like LA will do that again tonight. Still no starter listed. I would hope Wainwright can at least keep the Cards “in the game.”
Geez. Didn’t realize he was twirling it like this this season. Good for him and the Cards
Roy Oswalt provided more WAR than Wainwright and Oswalt didn’t make it to a second year on the hall of fame ballot
Being a HUGE Oswalt fan myself, he was one of my favorites when he pitched in Houston, he didnt pitch near as long as Wainwright and didnt get the votes because of his shortened career. No comparison
Oswalt 341 starts. Wainwright 353. Longevity really doesn’t mean much, that’s why the HOF only requires 10 years of playing in the league. If you’re dominant for 10 years, and post numbers that exceed almost all during your era, you will get a look at the HOF. It all matters what you did in the time you were there.
I feel like Jim Edmonds was dominant for that long. He fell off after 1 year. I feel like he’s a Hall of Fame players. Great numbers for centerfield and his defense was second to none
Edmonds was not a dominant player. He was very good. He shared the ever subjective GG award with Andruw Jones because back then they didn’t award by actual position. They just awarded to 3 OF. Edmonds never led the league in any offensive stat. He played in the steroid era and still didn’t get to 500 HR, much less 400. Nor did he even get to 2000 hits. Great defender, but if you follow baseball the last 50 years, great defensive CF were all over the place on many teams.
Why are you such a worthless pathetic loser?
Once again, and I say this a lot on here, because Cards fans are wound tighter than a Titleist. DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT TO COUNTER MY POINT? Or, are you just so juvenile that your brain can’t work in a logical way?
While it may have technically been one of his lesser years, Wainwright was actually pretty decent in 2019, especially compared to the 3 previous years. That’s why he didn’t just retire at that point and why the Cardinals were willing to bring him back for 2020 (and then 2021 and hopefully 2022) in the first place.
I never was looking to offend anyone I don’t understand why people get so rude and argumentative. I agree there are alot of great pitchers from this era! I never said Mike Mussina was bad either in anyway I just was speaking to how many people consider him borderline which I think Wainwright also is.
Look at mussina’s and Wainwright’s career wars. Not even close
Spoiler. 82 to 44 on bref