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Tag: Adam Wainwright

  • Adam Wainwright joins MLB Network as on-air analyst after retiring from Cardinals

    Adam Wainwright joins MLB Network as on-air analyst after retiring from Cardinals

    Former St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright will now be pitching in on MLB Network.

    The recently retired right-hander will serve as an on-air analyst for the network and is set to make his debut on March 28 as part of the Opening Day coverage, MLB announced Tuesday.

    Wainwright, 42, previously signed with Fox/FS1 to call games as a color commentator this season. He had joined that network’s postseason broadcasts after the 2020, 2021 and 2023 seasons.

    “I’m excited about this year ahead, and to stay in the game a little bit is exciting for me, to stay in it in that capacity,” Wainwright said Tuesday on MLB Network’s “Hot Stove” show. “I love calling the games. I love talking baseball.”

    Wainwright retired in October after 18 MLB seasons, all with the Cardinals, with whom he posted a 200-128 record, a 3.53 ERA and won the 2006 World Series. Those 200 wins rank third in Cardinals history, while Wainwright’s 2,202 strikeouts rank second behind only the 3,117 totaled by Hall of Famer Bob Gibson.

    Wainwright served as a late-inning reliever during the Cardinals’ 2006 championship run, during which he famously struck out the Mets’ Carlos Beltran looking with a big curveball for the final out in Game 7 of the NLCS.

    Wainwright also played a small part in Yankees history, saying he grooved a fastball to Derek Jeter during the latter’s final All-Star Game appearance in 2014. Wainwright later said he was kidding about giving an easy offering to Jeter, who lined a first-inning double against the pitcher for what was the first of two hits that day.



    Peter Sblendorio

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  • Cardinals’ Wainwright back in 2023; coaching staff to change

    Cardinals’ Wainwright back in 2023; coaching staff to change

    Adam Wainwright will pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals next season, choosing to return for an 18th with the club while longtime teammates Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina head into retirement.

    Cardinals president John Mozeliak said Wednesday that the 41-year-old Wainwright informed the NL Central champions of his decision to return shortly after they were eliminated by the Philadelphia Phillies in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Wainwright did not pitch during either game in part because he had struggled with his delivery late in the season.

    Wainwright finished 11-12 with a 3.71 ERA in 32 start, his first losing season in which he made at least 20 starts. He won just twice over his final six starts, though, and had a 7.22 ERA while dealing with what he called a “dead arm.”

    Wainwright earned $17.5 million on a one-year deal last season. Terms of his contract for 2023 have not been disclosed.

    The right-hander will head into next season needing five wins to reach 200 for his career. Wainwright is 15 behind Jesse Haines for the second-most wins in franchise history; Bob Gibson is the leader with 251 of them.

    Wainwright and Molina set the major league record for career starts as a battery last season, eventually hitting 328 starts together. But with Molina heading into retirement, Andrew Knizner is in line to be the everyday catcher, though Mozeliak did indicate Wednesday that the club would be in the market for help behind the plate.

    In other news, Mozeliak said he was willing to offer new contracts to pitching coach Mike Maddux and hitting coach Jeff Albert but both decided to step away. The 61-year-old Maddux had been with the Cardinals since 2018 and Albert spent time with the Astros before taking over as the Cardinals hitting coach ahead of the 2019 season.

    The Cardinals had already lost bench coach Skip Schumacher to the Marlins as their manager this week. And with bullpen coach Bryan Eversgerd being reassigned as a special assistant within the organization, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol will have four spots to replace on his staff heading into his second season in charge.

    Turner Ward, who had been the assistant hitting coach, could be a candidate for promotion. Pitching strategist Dusty Blake also will be back and could be among the candidates to replace Maddux as the pitching coach.

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