The Cardinals and right-hander Adam Wainwright have agreed on a one-year contract for the 2020 season, the club announced Tuesday morning. The deal is worth $5 million with the ability to make another $5 million in incentives, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Wainwright, 38, and the Cardinals also agreed on a one-year deal worth $2 million last winter after his large contract expired, making it quite the pay cut from the $19.5 million he made each year from 2014-18. He went out and had himself a nice bounce-back season.

The veteran ended up making $10 million in 2019 after hitting a bunch of bonuses. 

From 2016-18, Wainwright pitched to a 4.77 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 362 1/3 innings. Heading to his age-37 season, it seemed like he might be done, but he signed the one-year deal and went 14-10 with a 4.19 ERA (102 ERA+) and 1.43 WHIP. He posted 1.9 WAR after combining for 1.3 in the previous three seasons. He also threw well in the playoffs, posting a 1.62 ERA in 16 2/3 innings. 

The Cardinals bringing back Wainwright means there are probably four sure starters in the rotation: 

  1. Jack Flaherty
  2. Dakota Hudson
  3. Miles Mikolas
  4. Wainwright

Carlos Martinez hasn't been shy about wanting to return to the rotation. Daniel Ponce de Leon is likely in the mix and Alex Reyes is healthy heading to the offseason. Can he convert that to a healthy full season in a rotation? There are questions, but the Cardinals might be done shopping outside the organization for rotation help. There are plenty of capable arms here. 

Wainwright is heading into his 15th season in the majors, all of them have been with the Cardinals. To this point, he's 163-95 with a 3.39 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP and 1,776 strikeouts in 2,103 2/3 innings. He's also posted a 2.81 ERA in 105 2/3 postseason innings, helping win the World Series in 2006 (he was hurt during the 2011 run, but had fun partying in the clubhouse afterward). He's had quite the career in the Cardinals uniform and that will continue at least one more season.