The St. Louis Cardinals have already re-signed Yadi Molina for another season – expected to be his farewell tour – and it’s only a matter of time before his long-time battery-mate re-ups, as well.
For now, we’ve got our first confirmation that Wainwright is planning to pitch again next year:
Confirmed, from horse’s mouth: Adam Wainwright tells me he intends to return for the 2022 season. #stlcards
— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) September 7, 2021
Wainwright, who just turned 40, looked to be toast in his mid-30s, when the results turned to crap and the physical issues started popping up. But, to his credit, the guy has turned it all around, and been great the last two seasons. This year, he’s posted a 2.91 ERA, with surprisingly strong peripherals, over 176.0 innings. He’s gonna fall off at some point, but there’s little reason to believe the Cardinals won’t be happy to bring him back next year.
Of course, if it’s not by way of an extension, then we’ll probably get the same kind of song-and-dance free agency we got last year with Molina. The one where the lifetime Cardinal shops himself around for show, knowing all along that a reunion is going to happen. I mean, it would be a great troll if the Cubs signed Wainwright for his farewell season – and they do need starting pitching! – but it won’t happen. If Wainwright pitches in 2022, it’ll be with the Cardinals, and it might wind up a dual farewell tour with Molina.
… or maybe a trio of farewells! This would be begrudgingly kinda cool, though I don’t see how it actually happens:
Tony La Russa wants to see Albert Pujols return to the Cardinals in 2022. https://t.co/Jmf8chuYx0
— Audacy Sports (@AudacySports) September 7, 2021
Pujols, who’ll be 42 next year, has resurged a bit as a bench bat with the Dodgers, leaving his overall season numbers right around league average (239/.285/.451, 96 wRC+). But as an extreme bat-only guy, is there a spot for him, even in a world where both leagues have the DH? I don’t really see it.
Still, each of Molina, Wainwright, and Pujols walking away together in 2022 as Cardinals? I know it makes me a turd for admitting it, but I would find that pretty compelling.
In any case, from a competitive standpoint, I’ll note that if Molina and Wainwright come back next year, you couldn’t realistically project them to keep being this good. If they were to both fall off next year at the same time, it’d probably ding the team quite a bit. The NL Central will remain pretty darn winnable in 2022 on paper, with the Brewers probably reprising as the class of the division.