St. Louis Cardinals ace pitcher Adam Wainwright is expected to be out for the rest of the season due to an Achilles injury.
The injury occurred during Saturday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Wainwright was injured while batting in the fifth inning of Saturday’s game and had to be helped off of the field. The Cardinals announced on Sunday that Wainwright has been put on the 15-day disabled list and would have an MRI, according to Fox Sports. Wainwright was wearing a protective boot on his left ankle after the game on Saturday.
"It felt like I got hit by something," Wainwright said, ESPN notes. "If you look at the replay, I kind of get out of the box and look back to think, gosh, the catcher's mask must have hit me or the bat must have hit me or something must have hit me. Crazy game, something crazy like that you can never think.”
He went on to say, "There's nothing I can do about it, so might as well not be nervous about it or worried about it. Worry doesn't do anybody any good."
Wainwright has made four starts with the Cardinals this season. He is 2-1 with a 1.44 ERA in those four starts, according to the Associated Press. He is a three-time All-Star and has finished in the top three in the National League CY Young award voting four times since 2009. From 2012 to 2014 Wainwright was second in the majors in wins (53), fourth in innings pitched (667 and a third), and eighth in ERA (3.05). He has a 121-67 record with the Cardinals.
The Cardinals have recalled catcher Cody Stanley from Triple-A to fill Wainwright’s spot on the roster. Left-handed pitcher Marco is most likely the long-term rotation replacement for Wainwright.