Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Starting against Cuba on Sunday
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Wainwright will start Sunday's semifinal game for Team USA against Team Cuba in the World Baseball Classic, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.
Wainwright started the first game of the WBC for Team USA against Great Britain, and allowed one run over his four innings of work. A victory for USA would see the team advance to the finals of the tournament for the second straight appearance, with the winner facing the victor of the semifinal game between Mexico and Japan.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: To start WBC opener for USA
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Wainwright will start for Team USA in their World Baseball Classic opener Saturday against Team Great Britain, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.
This could wind up being an interesting test for the 41-year-old right-hander after he struggled to even reach 87 mph with his fastball during his two Grapefruit League starts for the Cardinals. Wainwright blamed the lack of velocity on some minor muscle issues in his lower back and upper legs. He registered a 3.71 ERA and 143:54 K:BB across 191.2 regular-season innings for St. Louis in 2022.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Battling lower back discomfort
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Wainwright said Thursday that he's been dealing with a muscle issue around his lower back, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Wainwright noted that he came down with back spasms just before he arrived at Cardinals camp in Florida last month and is still trying to get certain muscles to engage in that area. He also recently suffered a burn on the index finger of his right hand, and it opened up during another rough Grapefruit League start Thursday afternoon against the Astros. The 41-year-old had trouble even topping 85 mph with his fastball toward the end of that outing versus Houston. It's all somewhat concerning, but Wainwright remains committed to pitching for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Working through hitch in delivery
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Wainwright acknowledged last week that he's been working through a hitch in his delivery, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
That might help to explain why Wainwright's fastball has been sitting in the mid-80s so far in Grapefruit League play. In his second spring start Thursday afternoon against the Astros, the 41-year-old right-hander gave up three runs on five hits over three innings, and four batted-balls were clocked at over 104 mph. His next appearance on the mound will be with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Maybe the elevated level of competition can bring out a little more heat.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Reaches new deal with Cards
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Wainwright agreed to a one-year, $17.5 million contract with the Cardinals on Friday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
The 41-year-old informed the organization earlier this week he plans to continue his career in 2023, and it didn't take long for the two sides to comes to terms. Wainwright finished the campaign with a 3.71 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 143:54 K:BB over 191.2 innings, though he dealt with some timing issues in his pitching motion down the stretch and surrendered 23 runs across six starts in September and October. The right-hander will attempt to right the ship ahead of spring training as he enters his 18th MLB season.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Intends to play in 2023
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Wainwright informed the Cardinals on Wednesday that he intends to return to the team for another season in 2023, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
After being rumored to be set for retirement following the 2022 campaign, Wainwright looks poised to stick around for his 19th season in St. Louis. He's scheduled for free agency this winter, but the two sides are likely to come to terms quickly on a new deal. The right-hander struggled down the stretch during the 2022 season, but he produced a solid 3.71 ERA and 1.28 WHIP with 143 strikeouts over 191.2 frames in 32 starts. Following St. Louis' early postseason exit, the 41-year-old noted in a post on his personal Twitter account that he had been suffering from some timing issues in his pitching motion for a while, which could explain his shakiness late in the year. Wainwright ranks second in franchise history for starting pitchers with a 42.4 WAR, and his 195 career wins place him third behind Bob Gibson and Jesse Haines on the Cardinals' all-time leaderboard.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Rough end to season
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Wainwright (11-12) took the loss Sunday, allowing six runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 4.2 innings in a 7-5 loss against the Pirates.
Wainwright started the game strong, retiring the side in order in the first inning, but he ran into trouble in the second, capped off by a three-run homer to Bryan Reynolds. He also allowed runs to score in the third and fifth innings, allowing six runs for the third time in the second half of the season. The poor effort Sunday continues Wainwright's skid to end the season; in his last six starts, he has allowed 23 earned runs over 28.2 innings, increasing his ERA from 3.09 to 3.71.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Lasts only three frames
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Wainwright (11-11) took the loss during Sunday's 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Dodgers, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks with one strikeout in three innings.
Wainwright didn't have his stuff working Sunday as he faced 19 batters and tossed 77 pitches through three innings, permitting at least two baserunners and one run in each frame. The 41-year-old has slowed notably through five September starts with a 6.38 ERA and just nine strikeouts through 24 innings compared to a 3.51 mark and 6.7 K/9 average for the season. He's tentatively scheduled to take the mound again next vs. Pittsburgh.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Surrenders four runs in loss
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Wainwright (11-10) took the loss during Tuesday's 5-0 defeat at the hands of the Padres, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks with one strikeout in six innings.
Wainwright fell behind immediately after permitting two runs on three baserunners in the first inning and let in additional runs in the fourth and fifth to take only his second loss in his last 11 starts. The 41-year-old has opened September slow by allowing 13 runs compared to eight strikeouts in 21 innings across four starts. He carries a 3.38 ERA into his next start, currently scheduled for Sunday against the Dodgers.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Makes history, earns win
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Wainwright (11-9) picked up the win over Milwaukee on Wednesday, allowing one run on eight hits and two walks while striking out three batters over five innings.
Wainwright made history alongside teammate Yadier Molina, as the veterans logged their 325th start together as a battery, the most in major-league history. Wainwright celebrated the accomplishment with his 11th victory of the campaign, working around eight singles and a a pair of walks to allow just one run. The right-hander has put together a solid 17th season, posting a 3.29 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 137:47 K:BB over 178 innings. Wainwright has won five of his past six decisions, recording a 3.06 ERA across 10 games during that stretch.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Surrenders nine hits again
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Wainwright did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing four runs on nine hits and no walks over five innings against the Nationals. He struck out two.
The St. Louis veteran found a bit too much of the plate Thursday, as he surrendered nine hits, three of which went for extra bases. Wainwright also surrendered nine hits through five innings in his last start, which came against the Cubs, with only two strikeouts, so it is possible he is running out of steam. He will take a 3.33 ERA into his next start, which will likely come against Milwaukee next week.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Earns 10th win
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Wainwright (10-9) earned the win during Saturday's 8-4 victory over the Cubs, allowing four runs on nine hits and two walks with two strikeouts in five innings.
Wainwright got off to a rocky start by surrendering three runs on four hits in the first inning. St. Louis responded with eight consecutive runs to put the 41-year-old in line for double-digit wins for the 12th time in his career. The veteran fired 52 of 82 pitches for strikes but induced only five whiffs, and the four earned runs snapped a four-start streak of surrendering two runs or fewer. Additionally, the two strikeouts match Wainwright's second-lowest total of the season, though he still possesses a decent 7.1 K/9. Wainwright carries a 3.21 ERA into his next start, tentatively scheduled for midweek versus the Nationals.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Pitches well in no-decision
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Wainwright allowed two runs on eight hits and struck out four without walking a batter over 6.2 innings in a no-decision versus Atlanta on Sunday.
Wainwright was charged with two runs after Ryan Helsley gave up a three-run home run in the seventh inning. This was Wainwright's sixth quality start in his last seven outings -- he's allowed multiple runs just three times in that span. The 40-year-old ace has a 3.09 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 130:43 K:BB through 163 innings across 26 starts this season. He's projected for a home start versus the Cubs next weekend.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Quality start in loss
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Wainwright (9-9) took the loss against the Cubs in Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out three in six innings.
Wainwright allowed only seven baserunners in his previous two starts combined, spanning 16 innings, but allowed nine baserunners over six frames Tuesday. Both runs scored in the third inning when Nico Hoerner drove in a run with a groundout and Seiya Suzuki singled in a run. It marked the fifth time in his last six starts that he allowed two or fewer runs and pitched at least six innings. He's posted a 2.25 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 35:9 K:BB in 40 innings in that span.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Stellar start in blowout win
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Wainwright (9-8) earned the win Thursday, allowing three hits over seven scoreless innings against the Rockies. He struck out seven without walking a batter.
The Cardinals scored multiple runs in four of the first five innings, including a five-run third, but Wainwright's pitching effort was as impressive as the team's offensive outburst. The veteran tossed seven scoreless for the fifth time this season and struck out at least seven for the third time in his last five starts. During that stretch, Wainwright is sporting a 2.12 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and a 32:5 K:BB across 34 innings. His next start is tentatively scheduled for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cubs.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Stellar start goes to waste
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Wainwright allowed a run on three hits and a walk while striking out eight in nine innings, but he took a no-decision versus the Brewers on Saturday.
Wainwright turned in a vintage performance, throwing 109 pitches (71 strikes) while dueling with Brewers ace Corbin Burnes for much of the game. Wainwright's lone mistake was a Luis Urias solo home run in the eighth inning, but the Cardinals didn't give their pitcher enough run support, denying him a win despite the stellar outing. The 40-year-old right-hander has turned in three quality starts in his last four games, and he lowered his ERA to 3.27 with a 1.19 WHIP and 116:39 K:BB through 143.1 innings across 23 starts overall. Wainwright will hope for better help in his next start, currently projected to be a road date in Arizona next week.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Shelled in no-decision
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Wainwright did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing six runs on eight hits and four walks over four innings against the Yankees. He struck out five.
The St. Louis veteran was uncharacteristically wild and ineffective Sunday, surrendering four walks for just the third time this season and allowing nine other runners to reach base. Wainwright avoided the loss thanks to a strong offensive showing by the Cardinals, but the start ballooned his ERA from 3.11 to 3.42. He'll try to get back on track against the Brewers next weekend.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Sharp in Wednesday's win
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Wainwright (7-8) allowed one run on five hits and struck out eight in seven innings, earning the win Wednesday over the Blue Jays.
Wainwright was in firm control, with this being his third start of the year with zero walks. The Blue Jays got their lone run off him in the fourth inning, but the Cardinals quickly responded with a pair of home runs in the fifth to solidify the lead. Wainwright finished July with 14 runs allowed in 32.1 innings, though a seven-run mess against the Reds last week skewed the numbers a bit. The right-hander owns a 3.28 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 99:34 K:BB across 123.1 innings in 20 starts. He's projected for a home start versus the Cubs next week.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Hit hard by Reds
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Wainwright (6-8) allowed seven earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out two across 5.1 innings to take the loss Friday against the Reds.
Through his first 13 starts and 79.1 innings of the season, Wainwright allowed only five home runs. After serving up two long balls Friday, he's now surrendered eight long balls across his most recent six starts and 31.2 frames. Even so, he's maintained a respectable 4.14 ERA in that same six-start span. On the campaign, Wainwright owns a 3.40 ERA and a 91:34 K:BB across 116.1 innings.
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Cardinals' Adam Wainwright: Throws complete game in tough loss
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Wainwright (6-7) gave up two earned runs on five hits and no walks while striking out three over nine innings to take the loss in a 2-0 defeat to the Phillies on Friday.
Wainwright pitched his first complete game of 2022 but did not get any run support and was saddled with a tough loss. The two runs he gave up both came as solo home runs off the bat of Alec Bohm. The 40-year-old veteran lowered his ERA to 3.15 with the nine-inning performance and he now has 84:27 K:BB on the season. He will look to follow up with another strong outing next week against the Dodgers.
