St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright strikes out Milwaukee Brewers' Luis Urias for his career 2,000th strikeout during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
The St. Louis Cardinals are headed to the playoffs for the third straight year.
They clinched a postseason berth with a victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.
It certainly didn't look like the Cardinals were a playoff team for the first half of the season. They were three games under .500 as late as July 16 and fell to 53-55 on Aug. 5 when the Atlanta Braves finished a three-game sweep.
Turns out, all it takes is a well-timed winning streak to climb up the standings at the end of the year.
St. Louis defeated the Cincinnati Reds 6-4 on Sept. 11 to improve to three games over .500 in what appeared to be a fairly straightforward game between wild-card contenders. It was anything but, though, as it kickstarted the current 17-game winning streak that propelled the Cardinals into the playoff picture.
They swept fellow wild-card contenders in the New York Mets and San Diego Padres during the winning run and benefited from poor play by those two teams and the Reds at the same time.
Despite the impressive play of late from the Cardinals and the collapses from the Padres, Reds and Mets, they still have a monumental task ahead of them when it comes to succeeding in the playoffs.
After all, the NL West has featured the two teams with the best record in the National League battling it out all season: the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. The loser of that division race will be demoted to the one-game wild-card battle with the Cardinals and have home-field advantage in the contest.
If St. Louis manages to get past that game, it will have to face the winner of the NL West in a best-of-five series.
That means a deep playoff run probably isn't happening, but the combination of Tyler O'Neill, Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado and others is enough to threaten any pitching staff.
Throw in Adam Wainwright returning to dominant form at age 40, and the Cardinals won't be an easy out for the NL West representatives—especially given how well they have played down the stretch of the season.
Out of Nowhere the Cardinals Are Suddenly MLB's Most Dangerous Playoff Team
Sep 27, 2021
St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright strikes out Milwaukee Brewers' Luis Urias for his career 2,000th strikeout during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)
Before the St. Louis Cardinals went on this historic run rattling off 16 straight wins, their chances of reaching the postseason were projected to be less than 3 percent.
FanGraphs' playoff odds gave the Cardinals just a 2.8 percent chance to make the playoffs on Sept. 7. Now, they're a game away from clinching the National League's final wild-card spot.
Neither team should be looking forward to this. Not even home-field advantage seems to factor much against this Cardinals team that's won 11 straight road games within their overall 16-game streak.
St. Louis is hitting for power, playing elite defense and getting solid performances from aging pitchers.
Tyler O'Neill has emerged as a star, hitting 11 home runs in September with three games left to play in the month. O'Neill has four homers and 11 RBI in the last eight games, but he's been getting it done all year. He also has a case for being the best defensive left fielder in the game.
Trading for Nolan Arenado, one of the best third basemen to ever do it, has paid off. Between O'Neill, Arenado, center fielder Harrison Bader, second baseman Tommy Edman, shortstop Edmundo Sosa and catcher Yadier Molina, the Cardinals field some of the best players at their respective positions in the National League.
Adam Wainwright is having one of the best seasons of his career in his 16th in the majors.
If the Cardinals are going to make a run, it will be behind Wainwright and against the Dodgers and Giants in some order.
Wainwright vs. Dodgers
The potential for a Wainwright vs. Max Scherzer duel makes this wild-card possibility so compelling.
When Wainwright pitched against the Dodgers on Sept. 8, he allowed three consecutive hits in the first inning, then put down 15 in a row before giving up a solo home run to Max Muncy.
Wainwright tried to hang in there for his fourth complete game of the season and the 28th of his big league career, but the Dodgers chased him in the ninth.
The Cardinals held on to win 5-4. It had a postseason feel and played out how you might imagine a single elimination could.
The difference is having Scherzer starting for the Dodgers in the wild card, unlike the Sept. 8 matchup against Mitch White.
Wainwright vs. Giants
The Cardinals won Wainwright's first start against the Giants on July 6 largely because of their offense. Arenado and Sosa both homered, and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt had a two-run single the lead the way.
Wainwright gave up three earned runs on seven hits in five innings, but St. Louis beat the Giants 6-5.
Ten days later, Wainwright whiffed seven Giants and also gave up a pair of home runs in a loss.
At that point, the Cardinals' season looked bleak. The trade deadline was still a couple of weeks away, and it wasn't yet clear what kind of team this would be.
Cardinals defense can swing a game
Wainwright has benefited from his defense more than any big league pitcher this season, per Baseball Savant. The 23 outs above replacement produced behind Wainwright is by far the most, with the Cleveland Indians' Cal Quantrill trailing with 10 OAA.
The Cardinals defense has prevented 19 runs behind Wainwright, which is also more than any other pitcher. Next closest is the Houston Astros, preventing eight runs from Jose Urquidy's pitching.
In September, two of the Cardinals' pitchers are top four in OAA—Wainwright and Miles Mikolas, who is No. 1, per Baseball Savant.
As a team, the Cardinals have prevented 37 runs and 47 OAA, both league highs. The only other comparable team defensively is the Houston Astros (35 and 42, respectively), after which there is a significant drop-off.
Individually, O'Neill, Edman, Arenado, Goldschmidt and Bader are consistently among the OAA leaders at their positions.
More than just St. Louis offering a renaissance collection of Wainwright, Lester and Happ, the Cardinals defense can swing a single game.
The long ball is a threat
Only the Toronto Blue Jays have hit more home runs in September than the Cardinals.
Over the course of the winning streak, St. Louis has homered 31 times.
The Cardinals are homering with runners in scoring position more than anyone this month aside from the Blue Jays.
For the past month, the Cardinals have the second-highest slugging percentage (.489) with runners in scoring position, again only trailing the Blue Jays.
Goldschmidt has the second-highest OPS (1.330) over the last 15 days, with Bader coming in sixth (1.154). It was this tandem that hit the home runs in Sunday's 4-2 win against the Chicago Cubs to raise the Cardinals' September home run total to 47.
That broke a club record set by Mark McGwire's 1998 team for most home runs in the September/October portion of the regular season.
Factoring in the pitching, defense and what the Cardinals are doing at the plate, they do everything well enough to spoil a 100-win season.
Cardinals Defeat Cubs to Set Franchise Record with 15th Straight Win
Sep 25, 2021
St. Louis Cardinals' Harrison Bader rounds third base after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)
The St. Louis Cardinals set a franchise record by winning their 15th straight game with an 8-5 defeat of the host Chicago Cubs on Saturday at Wrigley Field.
The 1935 Cardinals' 14-game winning streak stood alone as the franchise's gold standard until Friday, when the 2021 Redbirds tied them with a 12-4 win over the Cubs in the second game of a doubleheader.
On Saturday, the Cardinals got solo home runs from Harrison Bader and Tyler O'Neill but trailed 4-2 going into the seventh inning.
The Cubs' Ian Happ countered with a two-out solo shot in the bottom of the ninth, but Luis Garcia struck out Patrick Wisdom looking to end the game.
Bader paced the Cards with four hits, three runs and two RBI.
The Cardinals haven't had too many nail-biters during their streak, though Saturday's victory certainly qualified as one.
Other notable wins include the first one, in which the Cardinals overcome a 4-0 deficit to win 6-4 against the Cincinnati Reds. They overcame a 5-0 deficit to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 8-5 on Thursday.
St. Louis also won a seesaw battle with the New York Mets 7-6 in 11 innings. It scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth last Saturday to edge the San Diego Padres 3-2.
The streak includes two wins against the Reds, three apiece against the Mets and Padres, four at the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers and three more at the Cubs.
The 1916 New York Giants hold the record for the longest winning streak at 26. The best the Cardinals can do is tie the second-best mark of 22 games set by 2017 Cleveland. They have seven regular-season games remaining (four more versus the Cubs and three against the Brewers).
The Cardinals improved to 86-69 and solidified their stronghold on the second National League wild-card spot. The 80-74 Philadelphia Phillies are the next-closest team.
Cardinals Beat Cubs, Tie Franchise Record with 14th Straight Win
Sep 25, 2021
St. Louis Cardinals' Paul DeJong (11) celebrates his home run off Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Michael Rucker with Harrison Bader, during the third inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 24, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
The St. Louis Cardinals just keep on winning.
After sweeping Friday's doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs, the Cardinals have now won 14 consecutive games to tie the longest winning streak in franchise history
The @Cardinals have tied their longest winning streak in franchise history with their 14th straight win.
The 1935 Cardinals won 14 straight games from July 2 to 18. They finished the regular season with a 96-58 record, but missed out on the playoffs because the format at the time had the top team in each league play in the World Series.
The Cubs (100-54) lost to the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic. That season was also notable because Chicago had a 21-game winning streak that began on Sept. 2, when it trailed the Cardinals by 2.5 games.
This year's streak by the Cardinals is the longest in MLB this season. When it began on Sept. 11, they were 71-69 overall and trailed the Cincinnati Reds by three games for the second NL wild-card spot.
After Friday's sweep of the Cubs, the Cardinals have a five-game cushion over the Philadelphia Phillies for the final playoff spot in the National League with an 85-69 record.
St. Louis also owns the longest winning streak in MLB this season after its 12-4 win on Friday night. The Oakland Athletics previously held that title with 13 consecutive victories from April 9 to 24.
The Cardinals can set a new franchise winning streak on Saturday. They will send former Cub Jon Lester to the mound against Adrian Sampson at Wrigley Field starting at 2:20 p.m. ET.
Yadier Molina Says He Will Retire with Cardinals After 2022 MLB Season
Aug 25, 2021
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina stands behind the plate during the second inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
One day after agreeing to a contract extension with the St. Louis Cardinals, Yadier Molina has confirmed that the 2022 season will be his last.
Speaking to reporters about his new deal, Molina was asked if he planned to retire after next season.
"Yes, yes, it will be my final season."
-- Yadier Molina when asked by @hochman on Zoom if 2022 will be his last year in the majors.
The Cardinals announced prior to Tuesday's game against the Detroit Tigers that Molina agreed to a one-year contract extension.
Molina also told reporters he "can't wait to put that red jacket on" in reference to being involved with the organization and working with young players after his playing career is over.
It seemed unlikely that Molina would ever play for another organization before hanging up his cleats.
The 39-year-old told the La Vida Baseball podcast in January when he was still a free agent that he would be fine with walking away from the game if it came to that.
“If God wants me to come back, then I'll come back," Molina said (h/t Corey Miller of KSDK). "And if not I will retire happy with my head held high."
The Cardinals eventually re-signed Molina to a one-year, $9 million deal. His latest extension will keep him in St. Louis for his 19th season in the big leagues.
Molina has spent his entire career with the Cardinals. He was a fourth-round pick by the franchise in the 2000 draft and made his MLB debut four years later.
The Puerto Rican is a 10-time All-Star selection. His nine career Gold Glove awards are the most among all active catchers and ranks third all-time, behind Ivan Rodriguez (13) and Johnny Bench (10).
Yadier Molina, Cardinals Reportedly Agree to 1-Year, $10M Contract Extension
Aug 24, 2021
St. Louis Cardinals' Yadier Molina hits an RBI-single in the first inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Indians, Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Per Katie Woo of The Athletic, the 39-year-old agreed to a one-year, $10 million contract extension Tuesday.
There had been speculation during the season that Molina and the Cardinals were working toward a new deal. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Aug. 19 that both sides were "encouraged" by their recent discussions.
Woo and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic noted Molina was seeking a one-year deal worth more than the $9 million he received in 2021.
Amid prolonged negotiations last offseason, Molina said he would be willing to retire.
"If God wants me to come back, then I'll come back," he told the La Vida Baseball podcast in January 2021 (h/t Corey Miller of KDSK.com). "And if not I will retire happy with my head held high."
The Cardinals ultimately gave Molina a deal in early February, just before the start of spring training. He was named to the National League All-Star team in 2021, posting a .259/.304/.376 slash line in 94 games.
It seemed unlikely that Molina would ever play for another organization if he decided to test free agency in the offseason. He has been with the Cardinals since being selected in the fourth round of the 2000 Major League Baseball draft.
Molina is arguably the greatest catcher of this generation and undoubtedly a St. Louis legend. The Puerto Rico native is a 10-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove winner, helping the Cardinals win two World Series titles in 2006 and 2011.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 28: Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after making an out against the Cleveland Indians during the fifth inning at Progressive Field on July 28, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images)
The St. Louis Cardinals and team legend
Yadier Molina are reportedly "in discussions" about a one-year
contract extension for the 2022 MLB season.
Katie Woo and Ken Rosenthal of The
Athletic reported Thursday that Molina, 39, is seeking a salary that
at least matches his $9 million for 2021.
The 10-time All-Star catcher entered
free agency after the 2020 season, and there were serious questions
throughout the winter about whether the Cards would have the financial
flexibility to bring him back.
In January, Molina told Cardinals
broadcaster Polo Ascencio in a Facebook interview (via Derrick Goold
of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) he wanted to return to the only MLB
club he's ever known but was open to retirement if the right offer
didn't arrive.
"Getting ready as always and God will
tell," Molina said. "If God wants me to come back, then I'll come
back. And if not I will retire happy with my head held high."
St. Louis and the future Hall of Fame
backstop came to terms in February on the one-year, $9 million deal.
Molina was selected by the Cardinals in
the fourth round of the 2000 MLB draft and made his major league
debut in 2004. Along with the 10 All-Star appearances, he's also won
nine Gold Glove Awards and helped the franchise win World
Series titles in 2006 and 2011.
The Puerto Rico native is no longer the
offensive threat he was during his prime—he's posted a .681 OPS
with eight home runs across 91 appearances in 2021; his career-high
totals in those categories are .874 and 22, both in 2012—but he's
remained an above-average defender with a plus-five DRS (defensive runs saved),
per FanGraphs.
Molina also continues to serve as one of the Cards' clubhouse leaders alongside Adam Wainwright, 39, who also hit
the free-agent market before re-signing in late January.
St. Louis doesn't have a clear
replacement for 2022, as Ivan Herrera, their top catching
prospect, is in Double-A. Herrera has showed
promising pop with 13 homers in 79 games this year, but he's hitting
.227 and could benefit from more seasoning in the minors.
In turn, it makes sense for Molina to
return for at least one more year, and it wouldn't be a surprise to
see the Cardinals keep him around for 2023 to split duties
with Herrera, as well.
Jon Lester Reportedly Traded from Nationals to Cardinals Ahead of MLB Deadline
Jul 30, 2021
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Jon Lester (34) delivers a pitch during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Saturday, July 24, 2021, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
The St. Louis Cardinals have reportedly acquired veteran pitcher Jon Lester in a trade with the Washington Nationals, according to Jesse Rogers of ESPN.
According to Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post, the Nationals will receive outfielder Lane Thomas.
Lester has struggled in his first year in Washington, producing a 5.02 ERA with a 1.59 WHIP in 16 starts. He has just 51 strikeouts in 75.1 innings in 2021, equaling 6.1 strikeouts per nine innings that would rank the lowest of his career.
The 37-year-old still brings plenty of experience and a resume that includes five All-Star selections and three World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs.
Lester has also showcased his talent in 2021, including earlier this month when he threw seven shutout innings in a win over the Miami Marlins. The problem has been consistency with four games of at least five earned runs allowed.
The left-hander will now try to help a team looking to earn a playoff spot after a 51-51 start to the season. The Cardinals especially needed pitching help with Carlos Martinez and Jack Flaherty on the injured list, leaving limited options behind Adam Wainwright and Kwang Hyun Kim.
St. Louis also added left-hander J.A. Happ in a separate trade with the Minnesota Twins.
It creates a rotation with a lot of experience with Lester, Wainwright and Happ all over the age of 37.
The Nationals, meanwhile, continued their fire sale before Thursday's trade deadline with Max Scherzer and Trea Turner headed to the Los Angeles Dodgers among other deals. With a 47-55 record, they don't expect to compete this season and will instead try to reload the farm system.
Thomas will join the team with major league experience, although he has struggled at this level with a .172 average and five home runs across 84 appearances.
The 25-year-old has hit .265 with a .339 on-base percentage in 30 Triple-A games this season.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Catcher Yadier Molina #4 of the St. Louis Cardinals looks on during the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on July 06, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
After being named an injury replacement on the National League All-Star team on Saturday, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina decided against playing in the All-Star Game.
According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Molina will instead use the All-Star break to rest his ailing foot.
Molina, who turns 39 on Tuesday, earned his 10th career All-Star nod after San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey pulled out of the All-Star Game with a thumb injury that landed him on the 10-day injured list.
In his 18th MLB season, Molina is slashing .258/.305/.417 with eight home runs, 40 RBI and 26 runs scored.
Along with being a 10-time All-Star, Molina is a one-time Silver Slugger award winner and one of the greatest defensive backstops of all time with nine Gold Gloves and four Platinum Gloves.
Molina played a key role in the Cards winning the World Series in 2006 and 2011 as well.
St. Louis entered play Saturday in fourth place in the NL Central with a 43-46 record, 9.5 games behind the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
With Posey out of the All-Star Game, reserve catcher J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies was inserted into the NL's starting lineup.
Now, MLB must decide on a replacement for Molina, and there are a few solid options to choose from.
Milwaukee's Omar Narvaez, Willson Contreras of the Chicago Cubs and Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers stand out most.
Narvaez is hitting .301 with eight homers and 26 RBI, Contreras is hitting .236 with 13 home runs and 31 RBI, and Smith is hitting .254 with 10 homers and 31 RBI.
The 2021 MLB All-Star Game will take place at the Colorado Rockies' Coors Field in Denver on Tuesday night.
Cardinals' Adam Wainwright Confirms He Tried Using Foreign Substances in 2019
Jun 15, 2021
ST LOUIS, MO - JUNE 09: Adam Wainwright #50 of the St. Louis Cardinals delivers a pitch against the Cleveland Indians in the first inning at Busch Stadium on June 9, 2021 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
Count longtime St. Louis Cardinals star Adam Wainwright among those who've tinkered with foreign substances on the mound to gain more control over his pitches.
Following allegations made by former Los Angeles Angels visiting clubhouse manager Brian Harkins to Sports Illustrated's Stephanie Apstein and Alex Prewitt that he sold Wainwright sticky substances, the Cards' ace confirmed the report and attempted to explain his thinking.
"I’ve got nothing to hide," Wainwright told reporters on Monday. "What [Harkins] said is true. I tried it in 2019. Obviously, it didn’t work for me. You can check the order. I only had one order with that guy. I gave it away very soon afterwards."
Shildt on Waino admitting he used a sticky substance for 6-7 games in 2019: "Don't you appreciate a man of integrity? I give him so much credit. He tried it, didn't do anything for him and could've easily tried to alibi his way out of it. ... I'm proud of him." pic.twitter.com/bQJxyM4Pu8
— FanDuel Sports Network Midwest (@FanDuelSN_MW) June 15, 2021
In his telling, Harkins—who goes by "Bubba"—explained how the process of selling his substances worked out:
'Bubba! This is adam wainwright. Can I give you a call?' said a text from a phone number associated with the Cardinals righty in April 2019. Five days later, a new message pinged from Wainwright’s phone: 'Got it,' it said. 'Thanks. Very thick stuff!' More texts came from Wainwright’s phone that June: 'Hey Bubba, couple guys asking about some secret stuff. Anyway you can send a couple batches with the angels when they come?' The team was already on the road, Harkins replied, but he would mail some. Later a Venmo account labeled with the name Adam Wainwright sent Harkins $300, writing that the money was for 'Kale salad and beans.' The Venmo transaction occurred the same day that a text was sent from Wainwright’s number to Harkins saying that he paid him. (Wainwright did not respond to requests for comment made through the Cardinals.)
The Angels fired Harkins after more than 30 years after an MLB investigation uncovered his operation, even though doctoring baseballs has long been practiced by pitchers across the sport. Among those Harkins said he provided his substance to were Cy Young-winners Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Corey Kluber and Wainwright.
"If they did an investigation and only found me [providing substances], it's a pretty bad investigation," Harkins said.
A defamation lawsuit filed on behalf of Harkins against the Angels and MLB was dismissed in January.
On Tuesday, Wainwright appeared undaunted by any potential discipline by MLB, which issued a memo to all clubs detailing enhanced enforcement of rules regarding substances on the mound.
"If it gets me in trouble because I did it years ago, then so be it. I’ve got nothing to hide," Wainwright said. "The truth shall set me free. We’ll see. I don’t know. Maybe it will. Maybe it won’t. I have nothing more to add."
The 39-year-old said he pitched for so long without the grip-enhancer that he didn't like the feel of using it—specifically how it changed the release point when he threw—and decided against using it any further.
His manager, Mike Shildt, believes the admission alone earns Wainwright some points with MLB and said he's proud of the veteran for admitting fault.
