ST. LOUIS — The beloved St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright celebrated his birthday on Tuesday. He turned 41.
Wainwright was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals after the 2003 offseason. The Atlanta Braves, who drafted him, traded him for J.D. Drew.
While he started out as a relief pitcher, he became a starting pitcher for the Cardinals. Since then, he has gone on to appear in multiple All-Star Games, winning two World Series and continues to make history.
Here is a look back at Wainwright's career through the years:
Sept. 11, 2005
Adam Wainwright makes his first appearance as a St. Louis Cardinal in a 7-2 loss versus the New York Mets. He was traded to St. Louis after being drafted by the Atlanta Braves and spending time in the minor league.
2006
Wainwright makes the Opening Day roster as a relief pitcher. He hit his first major league home run on the first pitch he saw on May 24.
Oct. 27, 2006
Wainwright came in for relief during Game 5 of the World Series. He threw a slider to win the Series. The first for the Cardinals since 1982.
2009
He won his first Gold Glove Award and finished second in the Cy Young Award. He ended the season with a 19-8 record and 2.63 ERA.
2010
He participated in his first All-Star Game, pitching one inning. He ended the season with a 20-11 record, with five complete games. He also threw the first two shutouts of his career.
2011
Wainwright experienced discomfort in his right elbow during batting practice on Feb. 21, 2011. He would miss the entire season, undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Cardinals would go on to win the World Series. The team awarded Wainwright his second ring despite not playing the entire season.
2014
On Opening Day, Wainwright won his 100th career decision. In a 1-0 win, he struck out nine Reds players and gave up three singles.
2015
After suffering an Achilles tendon rupture and surgery in April, he pitched on Sept. 30 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was announced the winner of the Hutch Award. The award is given to an MLB player who "best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire."
2017
Wainwright won his first Silver Slugger Award. He became the first Cardinals pitcher to win since Jason Marquis in 2005. He batted .262 during the season and led all pitchers with seven runs scored and 11 RBI.
2021
On Sept. 3, Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina made their 300th start as a battery, becoming the fourth in MLB history to do so.
Wainwright also recorded his 2,000 career strikeout on Sept. 23, becoming the second pitcher in franchise history to reach the milestone. The first was Bob Gibson.
2022
As teammates Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols announce this is their last year, Wainwright joins them as they hope to make history one last time.
Wainwright and Molina became the most successful battery in MLB history with their 203rd win on May 15.
The pair also looks to make history as the most starts as a battery this season, beating Detroit Tigers battery Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan with their record of 324 career starts.
Keep track of history in the making on 5 On Your Side's website.
