For the better part of the 2023 season, the St. Louis Cardinals have been without a key piece of the puzzle.
Veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright began the season on the injured list with a groin issue that arose during the World Baseball Classic.
However, the Cardinals don’t have to wait for him to return any longer.
Today, the two-time World Series champion will make his first start of the regular season and will face the Detroit Tigers in hopes of helping St. Louis snap its seven-game losing skid.
On Twitter, the Cardinals posted a hype video to get fans excited about the three-time All-Star’s return.
Controlling the mound since 2005.
Welcome back, Waino!#STLCards x @NationalPro pic.twitter.com/5i923DsQ9J
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 6, 2023
Wainwright re-signed with St. Louis after another successful season in 2022.
Last year, he won 11 games and posted an ERA of 3.71.
He was motivated to return after rare September struggles forced him out of the postseason rotation.
2023 will be his final season in Major League Baseball.
Wainwright made his MLB debut late in the 2005 season and emerged as a viable piece in the Cardinals bullpen one year later, even taking over the closer’s role after Jason Isringhausen went down with a hip injury.
All he did was close out all three postseason series the Cardinals won, including the NLCS and World Series.
The next year, he became a starter.
Since then, Wainwright has been one of St. Louis’ most dependable starters, being able to come through in key spots when needed.
That is what the Cardinals will need from Wainwright as they look to pull themselves out of their early-season funk.
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