It’s been a ride for Adam Wainwright. From closing out the 2006 NLCS and World Series to becoming the Cardinals most reliable starter over the past decade, he’s certainly seen a lot of action.
After several nagging elbow troubles that kept him out for parts of 2017 and almost all of 2018, it looked like we had seen the last of “Uncle Charlie.” But that competitive spirit remained intact for the veteran right-hander, as he returned to full health and began pitching like he was in his prime again, which earned him three separate one-year deals to return to the Cardinals and anchor their pitching staff.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Wainwright gave some clarification about when he may decide to hang it up and call it a career.
“I’m getting near the end. If it’s not this year, it’s no more than next year,” Wainwright said. “If it was just about baseball, about competing, about me vs. the hitter, I would pitch until the hitter told me I was not good enough to do that anymore as long as I was still having fun. But I have this beautiful family. My family works better when I’m there. My household runs smoother when I’m there. My wife is less anxious when I’m there.”
If this is indeed it for Adam Wainwright, he’ll go out on a high note. As previously mentioned, after several elbow troubles, it looked like the end of his storied career. But he never stopped grinding and continued to compete, getting healthy and turning back the clock in the process.
Barring a title run this year, or potentially in 2022, if Wainwright decides to pitch again, he’ll wrap up with two World Series titles, two seasons in which he won 20 games, and two finishes in the top 3 for the NL Cy Young Award. He also ranks third all-time among St. Louis pitchers in wins with 173, with a career ERA of 3.39.
This year, he’s been the Cardinals most reliable starter since Jack Flaherty went down, with a 6-5 record and a 3.59 ERA, and he’ll get the ball tomorrow in Denver as the Cards begin their final road trip before the All-Star break.
