Adam Wainwright outduels Zach Greinke on a Sunday afternoon at the ballpark, helping the Cardinals take the series. This is a phrase that one would connect to the 2013 season, not the 2019 season.
But there he was, out-pitching the Arizona Diamondbacks ace right-hander, throwing seven strong innings and enabling his Cards to take a vital series as the middle of July showed up.
Wainwright, 37-years-old and counted out by many before the season, lowered his earned run average to 3.99 and now leads the rotation with a fWAR of 1.2. Now, that's nothing to write home about, but for Wainwright, it's the latest hallmark moment in a storied career.
When 2019 began, he took the mound on an incentive-laced contract that carried more unknown avenues and unexplored possibilities than certain production. After all, Wainwright hasn't been efficient for an entire season since the 2015 season, where he tore his Achilles Heel in the first month of the season. In the years since, he's went from staff ace to roster liability, compiling ERA of 4.62, 5.11, and 4.46. You wouldn't know it by the way the ball flew out of his hand on Sunday.
Wainwright is relying on the same pitches he did last year and the year before. He throws his curveball the most, around 33% of the time according to Brooks Baseball, the invaluable website that provides all the velocity, usage, and whiff percentages that reveal pitcher secrets. Wainwright mixes in a cutter and sinker, and his fourth pitch is the four-seam fastball, which only clocks in around 90 miles-per-hour.
He used to beat hitters with high velo and Uncle Charlie; these days, he's taking them down with a potpourri of offering. Like an aging cowboy with lesser speed yet still incredible aim, Wainwright makes good use of his bullets.
The uptick in performance has made up for the lesser work from Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty, and Michael Wacha. Mikolas, who received a four year extension after one great season, can't find traction away from Busch Stadium and is unable to find any consistency or momentum. As the great Joe Schwarz of The Athletic documented Monday, his issues revolve around the usage of his slider. Picked least likely to succeed, Wainwright is surprising people and picking up his teammates ... again.
In January, Wainwright noted that he was truly healthy for the first in years. Columnists and fans rolled their eyes a bit due to the fact we've heard it before, but maybe he was right. No one knows their body better than a veteran pitcher. They are the best mechanic when it comes to the inter-workings of their arm and body.
Wainwright's strikeout rate is steady and his walk rate is down. The BABIP, aka batting average on balls put in play, is at a threatening .300 even with the success this year, so he isn't getting many favors. The line drive rate is lower than in recent years where he was a full time starter, and he is inducing more ground balls than fly balls (hello, effective sinker).
Can he keep it going? I don't see why not. The biggest obstacle for Wainwright these days is health. He's missed a couple starts due to injury, but it's been a rare stay on the sidelines each time. He was supposed to start Friday against Arizona, ran into a back spasm, and was back out there in less than 48 hours throwing a gem. Once again, Wainwright knows what's right, when to push and when to pause. That's 14 years in the Majors for you.
It won't be all sunshine and strikeouts. Wainwright has gotten beaten up on occasion this year, but he's always come roaring back with a good outing. In 11 of his 16 starts, he's offered the team a quality start.
You couldn't ask for more from a guy making a base salary of $2 million on the last leg of his career. For me, everything positive from Wainwright is icing on the cake of a great career. Sunday's win was #154 of his career, with a career ERA of 3.35. He's given the 39 wins above replacement in his career, and may have a couple more in him.
He'll be 38 on Aug. 30, but is pitching his best baseball in three years. Coming from a guy I expected nothing more than a glory experience from, I am impressed. There he was out-performing Greinke on Sunday, who came into the game with 10 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA.
Taking a cue from his longtime battery mate, Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright is turning back the clock, fighting off Father Time one curveball at a time.