The Cardinals’ final home game of the season – an October 3 contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates – had long been earmarked as a special occasion. That March, Pujols returned to the Cardinals for what he announced would be the final season of his 22-year career. Molina too had announced that 2022 would mark his final season, concluding a 19-year career in St. Louis.

When the Cardinals announced a pregame ceremony honoring the careers of Pujols and Molina, it was clear that Wainwright – who made his debut in 2005 – would play an important role, even though he was schedule to pitch that day. Wainwright had not announced whether he planned to return for 2023.

“I declined at first because I knew it was going to be in my warmup,” Wainwright said. “And I was asked again and I thought, you know what, this is a special time for those two and I feel like I owe it to them to be a part of it. I wouldn’t have done it if I was a second-year player. But I’ve been here a long time and been teammates with them a long time and felt like I ought to. I wouldn’t miss that.”[1]

“He could have done it a lot of different ways but he wanted to make sure it was special for those two guys,” said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, noting that Wainwright could have filmed his remarks in advance.[2]

Instead, Wainwright altered his pregame routine to be part of an on-field ceremony that saw Cardinals Hall of Famers Ray Lankford, Jason Isringhausen, and Matt Holliday in attendance to honor their former teammate. The ceremony included remarks from owner Bill DeWitt Jr., president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, Wainwright, and Pujols and Molina.

The team gifted both players with golf clubs and embroidered golf bags, plaques outlining their career accomplishments, and paintings commissioned from Puerto Rican artist Carlos Mercado. St. Louis mayor Tishaura O. Jones presented official proclamations from the city declaring that October 4 would be Yadier Molina Day and October 5 would be Albert Pujols Day. Molina, of course, wore No. 4 throughout most of his career (he wore No. 41 in 2004 and 2005) and Pujols wore No. 5 throughout his Cardinals career (he wore No. 55 with the Dodgers in 2021).

“It is extraordinary when you have the opportunity to see two young players play together and you watch their friendship become a brotherhood,” said Mozeliak, who drafted both players. “It is a special friendship that became family.”[3]

Even Pirates closer David Bednar was impressed. “How long have those guys been doing it?” he said. “To see them celebrated, it was really cool to watch.”[4]

It was a moment that seemed impossible after Pujols signed with the Angels following the 2011 season. His return, however, was just the beginning. After batting just .215/.301/.376 for a .676 OPS and an OPS+ of just 92 (8% below league average) during the first half, Pujols returned to the form so many Cardinals fans remembered.

“I’m really blessed to be back here and to finish my career where everything started for me,” Pujols said. “If you look around, the history of this organization is all about winning, from bringing guys here that can play the game and developing them in the system. … There’s no better feeling than to raise a championship trophy at the end of the year.”[5]

Pujols acknowledged his second-half resurgence in his pregame remarks.

“I have faith in the Lord, and there’s no way he brought me back to the city of St. Louis to embarrass myself,” he said.[6]

When the 40-minute ceremony concluded and the game began, Pujols continued his hot hitting. After Wainwright threw a 1-2-3 first inning, marking his record 328^th start with Molina as his catcher, Pujols got the Cardinals out to an early lead with a two-run double. Two batters later, Molina hit a sacrifice fly that scored Pujols and gave the Cardinals an early 3-0 lead.

It was as if the first inning had been scripted by the baseball gods.

The Pirates, however, were determined to play spoiler. Jack Suwinski drew a leadoff walk and Calvin Mitchell singled for Pittsburgh before Ben Gamel hit a three-run homer to right field to tie the game. An inning later, rookie shortstop Oneil Cruz singled and stole second, then scored on a sacrifice fly that gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead.

In the bottom of the third, Pujols stepped to the plate for what would prove to be the final regular-season at-bat of his career in St. Louis. Facing Roansy Contreras, a rookie righthander and fellow native of the Dominican Republic, Pujols hammered the second pitch he saw over the center-field wall.

It marked the 702^nd home run of his career and tied him with Babe Ruth for second all-time with 2,214 career RBIs. Only Henry Aaron, with 2,297, had more.

The home run gave Pujols 23 homers for the year and 17 in 153 at-bats since the all-star break.

“He always rises to the occasion in big moments,” Wainwright said.[7]

In the fourth, after Wainwright threw another 1-2-3 inning, outfielder Dylan Carlson and shortstop Paul DeJong hit back-to-back doubles to regain the lead, 5-4. Although Wainwright originally had been slated to throw approximately 50 pitches and had already thrown 61, he returned for the fifth inning with a chance to earn the win.

It wasn’t meant to be.

Pirates second baseman Ji Hwan Bae led off the fifth with a single before Cruz followed with a double. After Wainwright struck out Bryan Reynolds, Miguel Andujar hit a ground ball that scored Bae and Suwinski hit an RBI single to score Cruz.

With the Pirates leading 6-5, Wainwright’s day was over. When Marmol emerged from the dugout to relieve Wainwright in favor of left-hander Zack Thompson, Wainwright was joined by Molina and Pujols. Together, the three Cardinals legends walked side-by-side off the field.

“That was a surprise,” Wainwright said. “I thought that was cool.”[8]

After Thompson struck out Rodolfo Castro on three pitches, Wainwright’s line was complete: six earned runs on six hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. He finished with four strikeouts.

“I was proud to walk off the field with those guys even though I was pouting a little bit,” he said. “It still was a good moment for me to say I was teammates with two of the greatest ever. That was a cool time for Albert and Yadi and our whole team to see how St. Louis celebrates some of the greatest players, not just Cardinals, but players ever.”[9]

After the game, Marmol said he regretted not removing them one inning earlier. Wainwright wouldn’t have been eligible for the win, which requires the starter to go five innings, but he would have left the game with the lead.[10]

Wainwright had allowed just five runs over his previous nine starts against the Pirates.

“We had a really good approach,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “We did a nice job with the breaking ball, which we had not done in the past. We made him execute pitches. We made him work. That’s a challenge for a young group of players, but I thought they did a really nice job sticking to the game plan.”[11]

The Pirates added just one more run when Reynolds homered off Thompson in the seventh to make the final score 7-5. After Contreras and Pirates reliever Chase De Jong got Pittsburgh into the fifth inning, Duane Underwood Jr., Yohan Ramirez, Robert Stephenson, and Bednar combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings. De Jong earned his sixth win of the season and Bednar earned his 19^th save.

“Really proud of our guys,” Shelton said. “There was a lot of stuff going on and we battled. You get down 3-0 early with a young group, you could go away. We didn’t. We came right back, had good at-bats, and made things happen. We ran the bases well. This was definitely a growing moment.”[12]

With a sellout crowd of 46,680, the Cardinals’ season attendance exceeded 3.32 million, far exceeding the 2.75 million the Cardinals estimated prior to the season. Vice president of ticket sales Joe Strohm credited Pujols for the difference, estimating that the legend’s return and chase for 700 home runs drew an additional 500,000 fans.[13]

St. Louis finished with 93 wins to win the National League Central Division by seven games. Though the Cardinals hosted both games of the Wild Card Series, the Phillies swept the series on their way to the National League championship. As a result, the Cardinals’ final regular-season home game proved the best farewell St. Louis could offer for Molina and Pujols – at least until they received an invitation to Cooperstown.

“As part of DeWitt’s remarks, he acknowledged the Cardinals have had at least one person in uniform who is inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame every year since 1909,” wrote St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Benjamin Hochman. “Pujols and Molina will be a part of that stretch when their times come, and in so doing, will be as permanently embedded in the national baseball consciousness as they are locally, legends among legends, secure in their circle.[14]

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[1] Rick Hummel, “A big send-off for Pujols, Molina; Waino struggles,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

[2] Rick Hummel, “A big send-off for Pujols, Molina; Waino struggles,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

[3] Benjamin Hochman, “Powerful ceremony honored two greats,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

[4] Jason Mackey, “Pirates play role of spoilers,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 3, 2022.

[5] Benjamin Hochman, “Powerful ceremony honored two greats,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r9-4S4gu_w

[7] Rick Hummel, “A big send-off for Pujols, Molina; Waino struggles,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

[8] Rick Hummel, “A big send-off for Pujols, Molina; Waino struggles,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

[9] Rick Hummel, “A big send-off for Pujols, Molina; Waino struggles,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

[10] Rick Hummel, “A big send-off for Pujols, Molina; Waino struggles,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

[11] Jason Mackey, “Pirates play role of spoilers,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 3, 2022.

[12] Jason Mackey, “Pirates play role of spoilers,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 3, 2022.

[13] Rick Hummel, “Mikolas and Quintana set to pitch on Monday,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

[14] Jeff Jones, “Cardinals’ game vs. Pirates all about Pujols, Molina, Waino,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 4, 2022.

The post Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina bid farewell: October 2, 2022 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

On July 2, 2022, Arenado followed his cycle with two home runs: a first-inning blast that was the first of four consecutive Cardinal home runs and a ninth-inning shot that proved to be the game winner.

One day earlier, Arenado went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and more than half of the Cardinals’ seven hits for the day.

“It’s a cool feat and something you don’t take lightly, so I’m trying to enjoy it,” Arenado said. “It was a pretty cool day, having it come in just four at-bats. It’s hard to come by against big-league pitching.”[1]

The 31-year-old, who represented St. Louis in the All-Star Game later that month, wasted no time in collecting his first hit. After Paul Goldschmidt singled with two outs in the first inning, Arenado drove the ball off the top of the left-field wall for an RBI triple.

“I feel like I got the hard part out of the way early with the triple because I’m not fast,” Arenado said.[2]

Two innings later, the Cardinals still led 1-0 when Arenado returned to the plate. With Goldschmidt on second base following a two-out double, Arenado homered to left field, giving the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

In the fifth, the Phillies evened the score. After Arenado uncharacteristically misplayed a ground ball, Matt Vierling singled and Mickey Moniak hit an RBI double. The Phillies pushed two more runs across on a Kyle Schwarber ground ball and a Rhys Hoskins sacrifice fly to tie the score, 3-3.

Arenado opened the sixth inning with a double to left field off Phillies reliever Nick Nelson, but he was left stranded at second base.

“I wasn’t thinking about (the cycle) too much until I hit the double,” Arenado said.[3]

Home runs from Darick Hall in the sixth, and Hoskins in the seventh gave Philadelphia a 5-3 lead before Arenado returned to the plate just a single away from the cycle. Facing Seranthony Domínguez, Arenado hit a sharp liner off Vierling’s glove at third base to claim that single, then advanced to second when the throw got past Hoskins at first base.

“However they scored it, I was going to be OK with it,” Arenado said.[4]

It marked the 17^th cycle in Cardinals history and the first since Mark Grudzielanek accomplished the feat in 2005. Arenado previously hit for the cycle in 2017 as a member of the Rockies.

“It’s a little weird – I’ll enjoy it when I get up to my room and I call my mom – but we want to win games. I’d rather win,” Arenado said. “It was cool to see Phillies fans clapping for me down the third-base line. They’re pretty passionate about their team, so to have them applaud is cool. I wasn’t expecting that, so that was nice.”[5]

With Arenado on second base, Dominguez retired the next two batters to end the inning. The Cardinals never threatened again in the 5-3 loss.

“I’d rather have two homers than a cycle,” Arenado said.[6]

The following day, he did exactly that, including a game-winning, ninth-inning blast that made the final score 7-6.

Arenado’s first home run sparked a string of Cardinals homers. Phillies pitcher Kyle Gibson retired the first two batters of the game before Goldschmidt singled to center field. Arenado homered 354 feet to left field for his 16^th of the season, then was followed by solo shots from Nolan Gorman (392 feet), Juan Yepez (353 feet), and Dylan Carlson (407 feet). By the time Gibson retired Lars Nootbaar on a fly ball to left field, the Cardinals led 5-0.

“It was really cool,” Arenado said, “and when they tied the game, it wasn’t that cool. But, looking back, since we won, it was pretty cool.”[7]

Making just his fifth career start, Cardinals lefthander Matthew Liberatore allowed two runs on four hits in the second as Vierling drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Phillies rookie Bryson Stott drove in another run with an RBI single.

In the third, Vierling added another RBI single. After lefthander Zack Thompson replaced Liberatore with two outs, former Cardinal Yairo Munoz hit a two-run double to tie the game.

“Obviously, it’s frustrating, but you’ve got to give credit where credit is due,” Arenado said. “The Phillies can hit too.”[8]

The two teams traded runs, as Nootbaar drew a bases-loaded walk for the Cardinals in the fifth and Philadelphia’s Nick Castellanos added an RBI single in the sixth to make the score 6-6.

Despite the back-to-back-to-back-to-back blasts, Gibson pitched into the fifth inning for the Phillies, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and two walks.

“I was awfully proud of him, to tell you the truth,” interim manager Rob Thomson said. “I mean, he gives up four straight home runs. I think a lot of guys would have maybe shut it down right there, but he kept battling.”[9]

Both bullpens kept the game tied until the top of the ninth. Facing Dominguez for the second time in as many days, Arenado hit a leadoff home run to left field to give St. Louis a 7-6 lead.

Ryan Helsley, who struck out the side in the eighth, K’d two more Phillies in a scoreless ninth inning to claim his fourth win of the season.

“He was more than adamant about finishing the game,” said Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol in summarizing his conversation with Hensley during a ninth-inning mound visit. “He earned that.”[10]

Arenado finished the 2022 season with a .293/.358/.533 batting line to go along with 30 homers and 103 RBIs. He finished third in the National League MVP race, trailing only Goldschmidt and second-place finisher Manny Machado. Along the way, he was named to his seventh All-Star Game, won his fifth Silver Slugger Award, and won his 10^th Gold Glove Award in as many seasons.

Give the gift of Cardinals history! The Trades That Made The St. Louis Cardinals is available now on Amazon.

[1] Rick Hummel, “McGee knows how it feels to hit for cycle, lose game,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 2022.

[2] John Denton, “Arenado’s cycle bittersweet after hard-luck loss,” MLB.com, https://www.mlb.com/news/nolan-arenado-hits-for-his-second-cycle.

[3] Rick Hummel, “McGee knows how it feels to hit for cycle, lose game,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 2022.

[4] John Denton, “Arenado’s cycle bittersweet after hard-luck loss,” MLB.com, https://www.mlb.com/news/nolan-arenado-hits-for-his-second-cycle.

[5] John Denton, “Arenado’s cycle bittersweet after hard-luck loss,” MLB.com, https://www.mlb.com/news/nolan-arenado-hits-for-his-second-cycle.

[6] Rick Hummel, “Arenado caps two big days with a game-winning blast,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 2022.

[7] Rick Hummel, “Arenado caps two big days with a game-winning blast,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 2022.

[8] Rick Hummel, “Arenado caps two big days with a game-winning blast,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 2022.

[9] Alex Coffey, “Phils can’t overcome early HR barrage,” Philadelphia Inquirer, July 3, 2022.

[10] Rick Hummel, “Arenado caps two big days with a game-winning blast,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 3, 2022.

The post Nolan Arenado makes history twice: July 1-2, 2022 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

On September 14, 2022, Wainwright and Molina, both age 40, broke a major-league record even older than they were. With their 325^th start together, they topped the 324 games in which pitcher Mickey Lolich and catcher Bill Freehan started for the Tigers from 1963 through 1975.

Together, the Cardinals’ battery had 36 years of major-league experience, all with the Cardinals. Molina made his debut in 2004, then became the team’s starting catcher the following year, a position he held for 18 years. Over that span, he earned 10 all-star nods, nine Gold Glove awards, four Platinum Gloves, and a Silver Slugger Award.

Wainwright made his big-league debut one season after Molina. Acquired in a 2003 trade with the Braves, the 6-foot-7 righthander appeared in relief twice in 2005, then became a key part of the Cardinals’ bullpen in 2006, famously striking out Carlos Beltran to end the 2006 NLCS and send the Cardinals to the World Series.

In 2007, the Cardinals inserted Wainwright into the starting rotation. On April 6, 2007, with Molina starting at catcher, he won his first major-league start. Fifteen years, 194 wins, and three all-star selections later, Wainwright and Molina were poised to make history with a late-season home game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

It hadn’t been an easy path. Wainwright had missed the entire 2011 season with Tommy John surgery. In 2015, he tore his Achilles tendon, and following elbow surgery at the end of the 2017 season, he looked as though he might nearing the end of his career. In the COVID-shortened 2020, however, he returned to form, and in 2021 he placed seventh in the Cy Young Award voting with a 17-7 record and 3.05 ERA.

Meanwhile, reports indicated that Molina was considering retiring ahead of 2022. The opportunity to break the battery record with Wainwright not only convinced him to come back for one more year, but also convinced him to return from a June knee injury that kept him out of the lineup until August.[1]

Wainwright and Molina received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 46,459 when they emerged from the bullpen for their record-setting start. Brewers leadoff hitter Christian Yelich, the 2018 National League MVP, dug into the batter’s box as Wainwright, a veteran of 387 career starts and more than 2,500 major-league innings, battled to maintain his poise.

“It was a lot to manage, early on,” Wainwright said. “The crowd was so awesome, making me get constant chills and tearing up. (I) was trying to manage my adrenaline because it wanted to go through the roof.”[2]

Wainwright officially made history with an 87.2 mph sinker.[3] Yelich never moved.

“I had no intention of swinging at the first pitch, you know,” he said. “They deserve that moment, that respect to have that ball. You allow them to have that ball and do whatever they want with it, rather than, you know, swinging at it and who knows what happens. Just wanted to make sure that they had the ball.”[4]

Having safely landed in Molina’s mitt, the ball was returned to the Cardinals dugout for authentication.

“I thought that was a really classy move,” Wainwright said. “You could tell he was going to give that to us.”[5]

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch later reported that Wainwright requested the ball be cut exactly in half – one for him and one for Molina.[6]

“It’s probably cooler for me than Yadi,” Wainwright said. “He has so many cool things. Next to the Roberto Clemente Award, this is probably the coolest thing of my career.”[7]

“Such a great feeling, just to reach that number,” said Molina. “To be at the top of that list. Such a great feeling.”[8]

Of course, before Wainwright and Molina could celebrate, they had a game to play. After Wainwright struck out Yelich, Willy Adames and Rowdy Tellez followed with one-out singles. Former Cardinal Kolten Wong then drew a two-out walk to load the bases.

“I thought, ‘I’m getting out of this because we’re supposed to win today,’” Wainwright said. “Usually I feel like I’m going to get out of it anyways, but I really felt like I’m getting out of this because we’re supposed to win today, and we did.”[9]

On a 1-and-1 pitch, Wainwright got Andrew McCutchen to hit a ground ball back to him. Disaster averted.

The Brewers got to Wainwright for a run in the second inning when center fielder Tyrone Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to give Milwaukee a 1-0 lead. An inning later, the Cardinals took the lead with two runs off Corbin Burnes, the defending National League Cy Young Award winner. Nolan Arenado opened the second inning with a solo home run, and after Brendon Donovan and Alec Burleson each singled, Molina punched a single into left field to score Donovan.

Center fielder Lars Nootbaar made the score 3-1 in the fifth inning with a solo home run. When the Cardinals took the field for the sixth, Andre Pallante took the mound. Wainwright had thrown five innings, allowing one run on eight hits and two walks.

St. Louis maintained its two-run lead until the eighth, when Albert Pujols, the other member of the Cardinals’ over-40 club, doubled to score Tyler O’Neill. With the run driven in, Pujols, who was only three short of his 700^th career homer, joined Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth as the only players with 2,200 RBIs.

“Seems like every day he passes them or comes up next to them or ties one of those legendary hitters,” Wainwright said. “He’s in that class.”[10]

Following scoreless innings from Pallante, Jordan Hicks, and Giovanny Gallegos, Ryan Helsley took the mound in the ninth inning. The all-star closer worked around a two-out single from Tellez to seal the win.

“We had the mindset ready to win this game, no matter what,” Molina said. “And that’s what we did.”[11]

The win was Wainwright’s 11^th of the season and the 195^th of his career. Of his 2,548 career innings, Molina caught 2,136 (83.8%).[12]

After the game, the Cardinals toasted Wainwright and Molina with custom bottles of champagne with the number “325” on the sides. Team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr., president of baseball operations John Mozeliak, and manager Oliver Marmol each said a few words, and then the longest-tenured battery in baseball history was tossed into laundry baskets and doused with Cherry Coke, Sprite, and any other liquids their teammates could obtain.

“You see me, right?” Wainwright said at the postgame news conference, his Cardinals hoodie drenched. “Do I look wet? I’m wet. I am soaked. A whole bunch of nasty stuff you don’t want on your head, but it’s a pretty sweet taste.”[13]

Marmol, who at age 36 was four years younger than Wainwright and Molina, noted that he was drafted by the Cardinals out of the College of Charlston the year the duo made their first start together.

“A lot has taken place in that time span,” Marmol said. “That’s why I don’t see anyone coming close to touching it ever again. When you can be in the record book and know that it’s not going to be touched? Just to be able to have the career that Yadi’s had behind the plate with the same team – that’s a lot of years catching – and then Waino being able to come close to matching him on years? Just to do it together for 325, it’s definitely meaningful.”[14]

Post-Dispatch columnist Jeff Gordon agreed.

“It’s hard to imagine anybody topping the new mark Wainwright and Molina are setting together,” he wrote. “How many high-end pitchers and catchers will keep pushing their physical limitations? And how often will an elite tandem spend so much time playing together?”[15]

Fellow columnist Benjamin Hochman summed it up: “A kid from Georgia and a kid from Puerto Rico have become eternal St. Louisans, representing and encapsulating the pride of the Cardinals, the bond of friends, the passion for winning, and the fun that can be had along the way.”[16]

Wainwright and Molina combined for three more starts together to finish with 328. At season’s end, Molina retired, concluding a 19-year major-league career that included 2,224 games. Along the way, he had appeared in 10 all-star games and helped lead the Cardinals to two World Series championships.

After the season, Wainwright announced that the 2023 campaign would be his final major-league season.

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[1] Derrick Goold, “A curve, a keepsake, Cherry Coke: How Cards battery made history,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 2022.

[2] Jesse Rogers, “St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina make record 325^th start as battery,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34594137/st-louis-cardinals-adam-wainwright-yadier-molina-make-record-325th-start-battery.

[3] Derrick Goold, “A curve, a keepsake, Cherry Coke: How Cards battery made history,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 2022.

[4] Derrick Goold, “A curve, a keepsake, Cherry Coke: How Cards battery made history,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 2022.

[5] Jesse Rogers, “St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina make record 325^th start as battery,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34594137/st-louis-cardinals-adam-wainwright-yadier-molina-make-record-325th-start-battery.

[6] Derrick Goold, “A curve, a keepsake, Cherry Coke: How Cards battery made history,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 2022.

[7] Jesse Rogers, “St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina make record 325^th start as battery,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34594137/st-louis-cardinals-adam-wainwright-yadier-molina-make-record-325th-start-battery.

[8] Jesse Rogers, “St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina make record 325^th start as battery,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34594137/st-louis-cardinals-adam-wainwright-yadier-molina-make-record-325th-start-battery.

[9] Jesse Rogers, “St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina make record 325^th start as battery,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34594137/st-louis-cardinals-adam-wainwright-yadier-molina-make-record-325th-start-battery.

[10] Jesse Rogers, “St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina make record 325^th start as battery,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34594137/st-louis-cardinals-adam-wainwright-yadier-molina-make-record-325th-start-battery.

[11] Jesse Rogers, “St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina make record 325^th start as battery,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34594137/st-louis-cardinals-adam-wainwright-yadier-molina-make-record-325th-start-battery.

[12] Jesse Rogers, “St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina make record 325^th start as battery,” ESPN.com, https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/34594137/st-louis-cardinals-adam-wainwright-yadier-molina-make-record-325th-start-battery.

[13] Derrick Goold, “A curve, a keepsake, Cherry Coke: How Cards battery made history,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 16, 2022.

[14] Benjamin Hochman, “Duo’s bond extends to Cards fans,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 15, 2022.

[15] Jeff Gordon, “Wainwright, Molina turn back clock,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 14, 2022.

[16] Benjamin Hochman, “Duo’s bond extends to Cards fans,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 15, 2022.

The post September 14, 2022: Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina set new battery record with 325th start together first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

On September 23, 2022, Pujols hit the 699^th and 700^th home runs of his career in front of a crowd of 50,000 fans who cheered him as though he was still wearing Dodger blue. While Pujols hit just 12 homers with the Dodgers in 2021, he might never have returned for his 22^nd big-league season and reached 700 without his tenure in L.A.

“To have my family in town and to do it here in Dodger Stadium, where my joy of this game came back last year being in the postseason and being in this clubhouse, was awesome,” Pujols said. “It was pretty special to do it with the Dodgers fans here.”[1]

Of course, the bulk of Pujols’ home runs – and accomplishments – came in St. Louis. After the Cardinals drafted him in the 13^th round of the 1999 draft, Pujols made his big-league debut in 2001 and immediately established himself as one of the game’s premier players, batting .329 with 37 homers and 130 RBIs. In recognition of his debut season, Pujols played in his first all-star game, won the Silver Slugger Award, and was named the National League Rookie of the Year.

It marked just the beginning of an 11-year stretch in which Pujols made nine all-star games, won the 2003 batting title, earned six Silver Slugger awards, two Gold Glove awards, and was named the National League MVP in 2005, 2008, and 2009. Along the way, Pujols and the Cardinals won World Series titles in 2006 and 2011.

Following that 2011 championship, Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels. Though he continued to add historic milestones to his resume, including his 500^th and 600^th career home runs and his 3,000^th hit, leg injuries and age slowed the monstrous pace he set in St. Louis.

Pujols was in the final year of his contract, batting just .198 with five homers and 12 RBIs, when the Angels cut him in May 2021. He signed with the nearby Dodgers, where he was used as a power bat off the bench. Pujols hit .254 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs in 204 plate appearances, including a .953 OPS (on-base plus slugging) against left-handed pitchers.

Pujols’ five-month tenure with the Dodgers not only showed teams like the Cardinals how he could continue to be an effective player in a more limited role, but also re-inspired Pujols’ love of the game.

“If they weren’t going to give me the opportunity, I don’t think I would be sitting here today,” Pujols said after hitting No. 700. “You guys wouldn’t see the history tonight. … It’s great when you have great people around you who believe in you.”[2]

On March 28, 2022, the Cardinals signed Pujols to a one-year deal for what he immediately announced would be his final season. Despite the initial excitement, Pujols got off to a slow start in his return to St. Louis, batting just .215 with six homers and 20 RBIs during the first half of the season. The all-star game, hosted at Dodger Stadium, proved to be both a showcase and a turning point for Pujols, who was revered by his all-star teammates and surprised audiences by reaching the semifinals of the home run derby.

When Pujols returned to St. Louis, he looked much more like the Albert of old. By September 23, his batting average had increased to .265 and he had slugged 13 homers since the all-star break. That total put him two away from 700 as the Cardinals entered their fourth contest in a seven-game road trip.

With his five children in the stands for the first time all season, Pujols wasted little time in making history. After Tommy Edman drew a one-out walk in the third inning, Pujols fouled off a 1-1 pitch, breaking his bat in the process. Dodger Stadium batboy Oswaldo Ramirez grabbed one of two Marucci model AP5 bats engraved with Pujols’ jersey number – 5 – and handed it to Pujols.[3]

Dodgers lefthander Andrew Heaney’s next pitch was a 94-mph fastball. Pujols sent it 434 feet into the left-field pavilion. The blast not only drew Pujols within one homer of 700, but also broke the scoreless tie to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.

One inning later, Pujols got his first chance at the milestone. With runners on first and second, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled Heaney in favor of righthanded reliever Phil Bickford, a California native who had played alongside Pujols the previous year. As Pujols stepped to the plate, Yadier Molina, who had seen so many of Pujols’ homers over the years, warned his teammates they were about to witness history.

“This is it, boys,” he said.[4]

On his third pitch of the at-bat, Bickford hung a slider. Pujols hit it 389 feet, once again clearing Dodger Stadium’s left-field wall. As Pujols circled the bases, the theme from “The Natural” played over the public-address system.[5]

With the blast, Pujols joined Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Barry Bonds as the only players in MLB history with 700 home runs and the only player to join the 700-home run club with a multi-homer game. He also joined Aaron as the only two players in baseball history with 700 homers, 3,000 hits, and 2,000 RBIs.

“It’s pretty special,” Pujols said. “When it’s really gonna hit me is when I’m done at the end of the season and I’m retired, and a month or two after that I can look back at the numbers. Don’t get me wrong, I know where I stand in the game, but since day one, it was never about the numbers. It was always about winning championships and getting better in this game.”[6]

Pujols’ two-homer night was reminiscent of April 22, 2014, when he hit his 499^th and 500^th homers on the same day.

“Every night, you want to check the box score, and when he hits a home run, everybody’s talking about it,” said Angels outfielder Mike Trout, who played alongside Pujols throughout his tenure in Anaheim. “It’s crazy. When he was here and passing all the big-name guys, you had to pinch yourself sometimes just to be able to witness it.”[7]

Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, nearing the conclusion of a National League MVP season, shared Trout’s sentiment.

“It’s like, hey, don’t forget this because we might not ever see it again,” Goldschmidt said. “I know me, as a teammate, will never see it again. It’s been a blessing. It’s been an honor to be a small part and get to see this. You can play this game for a long time and not ever see it or be a part of it. Take it in. Remember it.”[8]

Even after Pujols had driven in the Cardinals’ first five runs, they continued to pile on. In the fifth, Dylan Carlson hit an RBI double and Lars Nootbaar followed with a two-run homer that made the score 8-0.

In the seventh, rookie Juan Yepez added a solo home run and Nootbar added an RBI single to extend the lead into double digits. In the eighth, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol gave Pujols the rest of the night off. Alec Burleson, batting in place of Pujols, hit a solo shot to right field for the first home run of this career.

“I think that’s the only way to pinch-hit for him right there – hit a homer,” Burleson said. “That’s the right way to do it. You don’t ever forget your first big-league home run. You definitely don’t forget when you hit it on a night like last night.”[9]

Burleson’s blast made the final score 11-0. Heaney took the loss for the Dodgers after allowing four earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. Bickford, the first of four relievers L.A. used in the game, allowed four runs – three earned – in 1 1/3 innings.

“At first, I was upset … and then when the crowd reacted and (seeing) all the smiles, it was a very special moment for MLB,” Bickford said. “Albert Pujols is one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.”[10]

Jose Quintana, who had come to St. Louis in a trade with the Pirates in July, earned the win after throwing 6 2/3 shutout innings. Lefthander Zack Thompson pitched 1 1/3 innings before outfielder Corey Dickerson threw the final inning.

“A lot of sensations. I almost cried,” said Quintana. “That happened on my day. I’m never going to forget this night.”[11]

It was a memorable night for several Dodgers fans as well. Cesar Soriano, a 37-year-old from Los Angeles, caught 699 and handed it over in exchange for meeting Pujols.[12] Another fan wearing a Hideo Nomo shirt caught No. 700. He chose to hold onto the historic ball, and Dodger Stadium security escorted him out of the ballpark.

“Souvenirs are for fans,” Pujols said. “If they want to give it back, great, but at the end of the day, I don’t focus on material stuff. I have the bat, the uniform, things that are special. If they want to keep that baseball, I don’t have a problem with it.”[13]

After the game, Pujols’ Cardinals teammates toasted him with champagne bearing special labels with Pujols’ signature and “700” in a neon glow.[14]

“I know he said he didn’t care. But we all cared,” bench coach Skip Schumaker said. “We cared. We got the moment to be a fan.”[15]

The Cardinals weren’t the only ones to savor Pujols’ milestone.

“This is like the Mount Rushmore of sluggers, so to reach that 700-home run mark, it’s remarkable,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.[16]

Even previous generations of Cardinals sluggers were in awe.

“It’s a number that Babe and Hank set way back when, a number of longevity, of stability, of greatness,” Mark McGwire said, “but I’m not surprised at all. Listen, if he didn’t have those few years in Anaheim where he basically lost his legs, with his knee and foot injuries, we’d be talking about 800 homers, not 700. There’s no question in my mind that he would have blown by Barry’s record.”[17]

Pujols finished the season with a .270 batting average, 24 homers, and 68 RBIs. His .895 OPS was higher than any of the 10 seasons he spent in California.

At the conclusion of the season, Pujols retired, ending a 22-year major-league career with a .296 career batting average, 703 home runs, and 2,218 RBIs. He will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2028.

Enjoy this post? Find similar stories listed by decade or by player.

[1] Mike DiGiovanna, “Cardinals’ Pujols homers twice, becoming just the fourth MLB player to reach 700,” Los Angeles Times, September 24, 2022.

[2] Derrick Goold, “Right bat, right time,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 25, 2022.

[3] Derrick Goold, “Right bat, right time,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 25, 2022.

[4] Derrick Goold, “Teammates offer perspective on Pujols’ 700^th homer,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 25, 2022.

[5] Mike DiGiovanna, “Cardinals’ Pujols homers twice, becoming just the fourth MLB player to reach 700,” Los Angeles Times, September 24, 2022.

[6] Mike DiGiovanna, “Cardinals’ Pujols homers twice, becoming just the fourth MLB player to reach 700,” Los Angeles Times, September 24, 2022.

[7] Mike DiGiovanna, “Cardinals’ Pujols homers twice, becoming just the fourth MLB player to reach 700,” Los Angeles Times, September 24, 2022.

[8] Derrick Goold, “Teammates offer perspective on Pujols’ 700^th homer,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 25, 2022.

[9] Derrick Goold, “Teammates offer perspective on Pujols’ 700^th homer,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 25, 2022.

[10] Beth Harris (Associated Press), “Pujols’ 700-HR feat one for the ageless,” Newsday, September 25, 2022.

[11] Derrick Goold, “Right bat, right time,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 25, 2022.

[12] Beth Harris (Associated Press), “Pujols’ 700-HR feat one for the ageless,” Newsday, September 25, 2022.

[13] Mike DiGiovanna, “Cardinals’ Pujols homers twice, becoming just the fourth MLB player to reach 700,” Los Angeles Times, September 24, 2022.

[14] Derrick Goold, “Right bat, right time,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 25, 2022.

[15] Derrick Goold, “Teammates offer perspective on Pujols’ 700^th homer,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 25, 2022.

[16] Beth Harris (Associated Press), “Pujols’ 700-HR feat one for the ageless,” Newsday, September 25, 2022.

[17] Mike DiGiovanna, “Cardinals’ Pujols homers twice, becoming just the fourth MLB player to reach 700,” Los Angeles Times, September 24, 2022.

The post How Albert Pujols hit his 700th home run first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

On March 28, 2022, after 10 seasons on the West Coast with the Angels and Dodgers, Pujols agreed to a one-year contract worth $2.5 million plus incentives to return to St. Louis.

“This organization never closed the door on me, and I never closed the door on this organization either,” he said. “It’s just a great opportunity.”[2]

Pujols’ first stint with the Cardinals was the stuff legends were made of. A 13^th-round draft pick out of Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods, Pujols spent one season in the minors before making the major-league roster out of spring training in 2001. It marked the beginning of an 11-season run that included the National League Rookie of the Year Award, nine All-Star appearances, six Silver Slugger awards, two Gold Gloves, the 2003 batting title, and MVP trophies in 2005, 2008, and 2009. Along the way, Pujols and the Cardinals won the World Series in 2006 and 2011.

After the 2011 championship, however, Pujols signed a 10-year, $240 million contract with the Angels. Pujols continued to reach significant milestones, collecting his 500^th and 600^th home runs and his 3,000^th career hit with the Angels, but he never reached the same heights he enjoyed in St. Louis. Leg injuries, then age, slowed the big man down.

Pujols was in the final year of his contract, batting just .198 with five homers and 12 RBIs, when the Angels cut him in May 2021. He signed with the nearby Dodgers, where he was used as a power bat off the bench. Facing primarily left-handed pitchers, Pujols hit .254 with 12 homers and 38 RBIs in 204 plate appearances.

The 2022 season offered a unique opportunity for Pujols to return to St. Louis. After almost 50 years of use in the American League, Major League Baseball introduced the designated hitter to the National League that offseason.

With lefty-swinging outfielder Corey Dickerson signed to a one-year deal and righthanded-hitting rookie Juan Yepez set to make his big-league debut, the Cardinals had the makings of a platoon at the new position. However, the 24-year-old Yepez was just 3-for-16 without an extra-base hit that spring at the time of Pujols’ signing.

“We’re wanting to give Yepez the most opportunity and see what we got there,” first-year Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said one day before Pujols signed. “Has he performed the way he’d like to? No. Is he carrying himself in a way that gives us the belief he can do a good job? Yes. We want to see as much of that as possible. We’ll see a decent amount of at-bats for him moving forward.”[3]

Behind the scenes, Wainwright and another veteran Cardinals star, Yadier Molina, were pushing for Pujols’ addition. In fact, Molina was video chatting with Pujols at 6 a.m. on Sunday, March 27, as contract negotiations were being finalized.[4]

By the following day, it was official.

“This reunion with Albert was a wonderful opportunity, for not only him and the Cardinal organization, but for our great fans and the city of St. Louis,” team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said. “The players and staff and everyone connected to the Cardinal organization looks forward to seeing Albert with the birds on the bat.”[5]

Pujols didn’t wait long to make his first public appearance. Wainwright had just completed the first inning in his spring training outing against the Astros when the right-field gate at Roger Dean Stadium opened and Pujols walked onto the field and toward the dugout. The stadium – and Pujols’ new teammates – applauded.

“I felt like, yes, I might be wearing a different uniform, but I felt like I never left,” Pujols said. “The people still treat me the same way, whether I was wearing the Cardinal uniform, whether I was wearing the Angels or the Dodgers, they never change. That’s what’s so special about the Cardinals’ fans. They love you when you wear their uniform, but they still love you because you’re part of this organization.”[6]

With Pujols’ announcement that 2022 would be his final season, prices for the Cardinals’ home opener skyrocketed. There was also a run on tickets for the Cardinals’ final home games of the season – the final regular-season game for Pujols and Molina. The Cardinals catcher had also announced that 2022 would be his final campaign.[7]

“He will do amazing things in his last year,” said former Cardinals manager Tony La Russa after Pujols signed. “There’s no doubt in my mind. He did it last year with the Dodgers. He will rise to the occasion – and he’s got two legs to stand on to hit now, which hasn’t been true for years. I went to see him when he was playing with the Angels a couple of times, and he would pull his pant leg up, and his knee was swollen like a basketball.”[8]

“I think he’s motivated,” Wainwright said. “Any time Albert’s motivated, it’s a very, very dangerous thing. He’s motivated to show people he’s not too old and he’s not over the hill. I don’t think he wants it to be just nostalgia. I think he wants to go out and prove something.”[9]

Arenado, who hit with Pujols in Southern California during the offseason, said the veteran’s presence off the bench would be a game-changer for the Cardinals.

“He’s still got a lot of power, and he’s still scary,” Arenado said. “Nobody wants to go up there and face Albert Pujols. I don’t care who you are. Everybody knows in the back of their mind that when that guy steps up to the plate, damage can be done. And that’s a pretty uneasy feeling. I feel like last year we didn’t have that as much … and now we have him. It’s going to make a huge difference for us.”[10]

Arenado may have even underestimated Pujols’ impact on the 2022 season. Playing in 109 games, the 42-year-old posted his highest OPS (on-base plus slugging) since 2011 and his highest home run total since he blasted 31 in 2016. Across 351 plate appearances, Pujols hit .270 with 24 homers, 68 RBIs, and an .895 OPS.

At the All-Star Game (the 11^th of his career), Pujols was celebrated by his peers, and the summer showcase seemed to invigorate him. After batting .215 with six homers and 20 RBIs in the first half, Pujols hit .323 with 18 homers and 48 RBIs after the break. Along the way, he hit his 700^th career home run and passed Alex Rodriguez for fourth on baseball’s all-time list.

“What I’m doing right now, that was something that, when I signed here, I was really looking forward to – helping this organization,” Pujols said.[11]

By season’s end, Pujols was a mainstay in the Cardinals’ lineup, playing a key role alongside National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt and fellow All-Star Arenado.

“Obviously, growing up, he’s one of my favorite players ever, and to be in a Cardinal uniform with him, it’s a pretty surreal moment,” Arenado said. “Growing up watching him with the Cardinals, watching him hitting homers with the Cardinals – I’m in a Cardinals uniform and I get to play with Albert Pujols, one of the greatest Cardinals ever.”[12]

Pujols wasn’t only successful on the field, but he also appeared to enjoy the season more than ever before. Known for his singular focus during his first run with the Cardinals, Pujols seemed more relaxed and willing to share his knowledge than ever before. He even pitched an inning in a nationally broadcast 15-6 loss to the Giants.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Ben Frederickson described Pujols’ new attitude this way:

“Pujols returned happier, quicker to smile and laugh. He called himself the grandpa of the club. He embraced a limited role and then expanded it with his production, never griping about at-bats that did not come his way.

“He taught by example before. He did again this season, but it was accompanied by bear hugs and arms thrown over shoulders. Not to be forgotten along with the records that will stand in baseball history forever are the images of Pujols laughing while pitching in a blowout, wrapping Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright in dugout embraces, and mentoring whatever young hitter came his way.”[13]

On October 2, before their final regular-season home game of the season, the Cardinals held a brief pregame ceremony honoring Pujols and Molina. When Wainwright, that day’s starter, was removed from the game with two outs in the fifth, Marmol took the opportunity to remove Pujols and Molina as well. Together, the three stars who had defined much of the Cardinals’ 21^st century walked off the field.

“The moment was great, just to walk with Albert and Waino next to me,” Molina said. “It was a great moment for baseball, I think.”[14]

After helping the Cardinals win the National League Central Division to qualify for the Wild Card Series, Pujols held true to his word and retired. His 22-year career included a .296 batting average, 703 home runs, and 2,218 RBIs. Pujols will be eligible for the Hall of Fame beginning in 2028.

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[1] Jeff Jones, “‘This is it for me’: Pujols to play final year with Cardinals,” Belleville News-Democrat, March 30, 2022.

[2] Tyler Kepner, “For Albert Pujols, One Last Run Where It All Began,” New York Times, March 28, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/28/sports/baseball/albert-pujols-cardinals.html.

[3] Derrick Goold, “Pujols returning to the Cardinals,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 28, 2022.

[4] Jeff Jones, “‘This is it for me’: Pujols to play final year with Cardinals,” Belleville News-Democrat, March 30, 2022.

[5] Jeff Jones, “‘This is it for me’: Pujols to play final year with Cardinals,” Belleville News-Democrat, March 30, 2022.

[6] Tyler Kepner, “For Albert Pujols, One Last Run Where It All Began,” New York Times, March 28, 2022. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/28/sports/baseball/albert-pujols-cardinals.html.

[7] Derrick Goold, “This Is My Last Run,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 29, 2022.

[8] Rick Hummel, “Back Where It Began,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 30, 2022.

[9] Derrick Goold, “This Is My Last Run,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 29, 2022.

[10] Derrick Goold, “This Is My Last Run,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 29, 2022.

[11] Ben Frederickson, “You Can Go Home Again,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 2, 2022.

[12] Derrick Goold, “This Is My Last Run,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 29, 2022.

[13] Ben Frederickson, “You Can Go Home Again,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 2, 2022.

[14] Rick Hummel, “A big send-off for Pujols, Molina; Waino struggles,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 3, 2022.

The post Albert Pujols returns to the Cardinals: March 28, 2022 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.