Cardinals: St. Louis makes intriguing move amid Adam Wainwright’s official retirement
The Cardinals, who missed the MLB Playoffs, made a move to pick up Buddy Kennedy shortly after Adam Wainwright’s retirement.
The St. Louis Cardinals had a disappointing 2022-23 baseball season. With a record of 71-91, the Cardinals failed to make the MLB Playoffs. Despite being at the bottom of the National League, St. Louis is grateful for long-time pitcher Adam Wainwrights’ 18-year contributions to the team. Wainwright’s retirement promoted a quick response from the organization. The Cardinals are signing infielder Buddy Kennedy from the Oakland Athletics, per the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch.
The Cardinals fill the roster spot left by Adam Wainwright
Wainwright helped anchor the Cardinals’ defense during his lengthy career. However, the recent roster move addresses the team’s need for offense.
During the 2023 season, Buddy Kennedy played 10 games for the current National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks. He was removed from the team’s roster and picked up by the Athletics.
Kennedy comes from the same high school as Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout. The 25-year-old is a versatile fielder who has hit .206 with a .209 slugging percentage across 40 big-league games. Now, he helps a Cardinals team desperate for a spark.
During the regular season, St. Louis ranked near the middle of the pack in team hitting. The Cardinals were 13th in the MLB. Kennedy adds depth to help St. Louis get near the top of the league offensively.
On the defensive side, the Cardinals still have a lot of work to do. The team ranked a lowly 24th in the league in pitching. Naturally, the departure of Adam Wainwright takes away from St. Louis’s experience at the position.