*Photo from Sports Illustrated*
Adam Wainwright, a longtime St.Louis Cardinal, had one thing to say about his return: I'm Back. Wainwright and the Cardinals have agreed to a one year, $8 million contract to return to the team for the 2021 season, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. Wainwright agreed to a lesser value of money to return to the Cardinals, even though he had bigger deals available elsewhere. The Cardinals have confirmed the deal.
Wainwright put up a solid season with the Cardinals in 2020, posting a 5-3 record with a 3.15 ERA, striking out 54 hitters in 65 2/3 innings pitched in 10 starts for the Cardinals. In Wainwright's long 15 year career, he has a 167-98 record with a 3.38 ERA, throwing 2,169 1/3 innings pitched in 393 appearances, 326 of which were starts.
Wainwright described his free agency process over the last few seasons, saying that "Even the last couple years that I was a free agent, there was really only one team that was even willing to look at me. There was no doubt I was hoping to come back for a year with the Cardinals. This year was a different situation in that I actually had suitors. I had teams that were interested, and I had a little bit of patience and I was perfectly at ease in the process of waiting. It was a fun time. I honestly sat back and let my agent take the reins on this thing. Stayed out of it. And I think he knew deep down I wanted to come back to St. Louis."
Wainwright has had some moments in a Cardinal uniform, the only team he's ever played for. He has two gold gloves as a pitcher, two years of leading the NL in wins, two pitcher of the month awards, 3 all star game appearances, two world series titles, and the winner of the 2020 Roberto Clemente Award in 2020. He also ranks third all time on the Cardinals in total wins, garnering 167 of them.
Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said of Wainwright that "We were very concerned about how quickly we were going to blow through the bullpen, and we had multiple roster changes throughout those five days. But the one thing that stood out was Adam going deep into a game. The importance of what Adam meant, not just from that leadership standpoint or that clubhouse standpoint, it’s actually just from a pure performance standpoint. He really did pitch as an elite pitcher in the game."
Wainwright said of his role with the Cardinals in 2020 that "I was pleased with answering the bell every time, I was pleased with the way my body felt. Those are the things I’m going to try to build off of and continue. The expectations were there to be great and to pitch nine innings again. I wasn’t hoping to go nine, I was really expecting to go nine. The expectations of me wanting to go out there and go deeper in games were there for, realistically, the first time in a few years."
The Cardinals have added Wainwright back to the fold, reportedly traded for Nolan Arenado, and are expecting a decision on longtime C Yadier Molina soon on where he plans to play in 2021.
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