MILWAUKEE — Adam Wainwright has pitched the final game of his career.
“I’ve thought a lot about it the last few days, but I’m in a really good place mentally,” the St. Louis Cardinals right-hander said ahead of his team’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers. “No regrets about anything I ever did, no second thoughts of, am I making the right decision on pitching or retiring. I’m at peace with all of it in this spot that I’ve never been.
First reported by The Athletic's Katie Woo, head coach Oli Marmol confirmed that Wainwright will not make another start this season.
Manager Oliver Marmol said that during the Cardinals’ series in San Diego against the Padres over the weekend, Wainwright played catch “and the reality is, there’s no way he’d be able to go out and throw another inning.”
“To walk off the way he did, at home, ended on a curveball, fans on their feet, the ovation after he came out, all of it, there's not a better way to go out," Marmol said.
The final game Wainwright pitched was on Sept. 18, winning his 200th game.
Woo the 42-year-old will remain on the team's active roster for the final six games of the season. Marmol did not rule out the possibility of Wainwright taking an at-bat in the final home stand, Woo said.
In his 200th win, Wainwright pitched seven complete innings, struck out three batters and allowed four hits in the win. As he finished off the night, he was met by a standing ovation from the crowd walking off the field.
The Cardinals won 1-0 against the Brewers at Busch Stadium.
"That's one of the most fun games I've ever pitched in my whole life. Certainly, will go down as a top three moment for me ever baseball-wise," Wainwright said.
When he spoke to the press after his historic moment, he was still filled with emotions.
"I do think having to work as hard as I had to work for it made me savor it that much more. There was a time when I really wasn't going to be able to keep going, or if they were even going to let me keep going," Wainwright said.
The Cardinals plan to celebrate the legend during the last weekend and homestand of the season. The team announced that for the weekend of Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 will celebrate Wainwright with giveaways, themed-ticket and a concert by the man of the weekend.
Wainwright will hit the stage for a postgame concert with the musicians who joined him in his surprise National anthem performance on Opening Day. He is set to perform three songs from his upcoming album and will finish off the night with a fireworks show.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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