Sep 18, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright (50) hugs catcher Willson Contreras (40) after winning his 200th career game in a 1-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals
ST LOUIS — St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright has announced his retirement from baseball.
The 42-year-old right-hander made the decision eight days after winning his 200th game.
Wainwright, who spent all 18 of his seasons with the Cardinals, said he is at peace with his decision and has no regrets.
“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.
“I’ve literally left everything I had out there, for real.”
He pitched his final game on September 18, throwing seven innings of four-hit ball in a 1-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. It was the longest outing this season.
Wainwright cited a feeling that it would be difficult for him to compete again as the reason for his retirement.
“I knew the day after I pitched that it was going to be very hard for me to throw a ball competitively ever again,” he said.
He finishes the season with a 5-11 record and a 7.40 ERA.
Manager Oliver Marmol praised Wainwright’s final outing and said there was no better way for him to go out.
“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.
