Cardinals 41-Year Old Starter Battling Multiple Issues; Tops Out At 85 MPH In Start

St. Louis Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright is facing multiple challenges ahead of the World Baseball Classic and the start of the season.

On Thursday, Wainwright revealed that he's been dealing with a muscle issue around his lower back, which has been causing him trouble since he arrived at the Cardinals' camp last month.

Additionally, he recently suffered a burn on the index finger of his right hand, which opened up during his most recent Grapefruit League start against the Astros. As a result, Wainwright had trouble topping 85 mph with his fastball, and he gave up three runs in three innings.

Adam Wainwright had a burn on his index finger and the skin gave way during his start. So that was something. He also has been trying to get a muscle in his leg/lower back to engage after back spasms. That has limited his leg drive and he thinks the velocity, too. #stlcards

— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) March 2, 2023

While Wainwright remains committed to pitching for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, his recent struggles and injury concerns may cause some worries for the team.

The 41-year-old is entering his 18th season, holding an impressive 3.38 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and averaging 7.5 K/9 over 457 appearances in his career.

What's even more impressive is that he's spent all 18 seasons of his career with the Cardinals. Photo Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports