Report: Cardinals Bring Back Adam Wainwright on One-Year Deal

The Cardinals have reportedly reached an agreement with longtime starting pitcher Adam Wainwright to return to St. Louis.

Wainwright will re-sign with the Cardinals on a one-year deal believed to be worth $8 million, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman. The agreement means the 39-year-old Wainwright will pitch in his 16th season, all of which have come in St. Louis.

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After injuries limited him to just 40 1/3 innings in 2018, Wainwright has been durable and productive over the past two seasons. He's 19-13 with a 3.91 ERA in 41 starts since the start of the 2019 season.

MARTELL: Adam Wainwright Has Been Everything the Cardinals Needed in 2020

Wainwright ranks third in Cardinals history with 167 career wins, trailing Hall of Famers Bob Gibson (251) and Jesse Haines (210). He's second with 1,830 career strikeouts, behind only Gibson (3,117).

A fixture in the St. Louis community, Wainwright won the 2020 Roberto Clemente Award, given annually to the player who best represents the game through "extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field."

With Wainwright apparently back in the fold for 2021, the Cardinals are also reportedly interested in retaining two other veteran free agents: catcher Yadier Molina and second baseman Kolten Wong, per Heyman.

Molina, 38, is a nine-time All-Star and a Cardinals franchise icon. He's won nine Gold Glove Awards in what has likely been a Hall of Fame career. He hit .262/.303/.359 in 42 games last season with four home runs and 16 RBIs. Wong, 30, also has spent his entire career with the Cardinals. He has won back-to-back Gold Gloves and hit .265/.350/.326 in 53 games last season. St. Louis declined to pick up Wong's $12.5 million option following the 2020 season, which made him a free agent.