The legendary St. Louis Cardinals battery of Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina started their 300th game together on Friday night.
The 15-year partnership between Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina just made it to 300 starts.
The Cardinals‘ pitcher and catcher started their 300th game together on Friday against the Brewers, joining an exclusive club of just three other pairs to reach that number.
Mickey Lolich and Bill Freehan of the Tigers, Warren Spahn and Del Crandall of the Braves and Red Faber and Ray Schalk of the White Sox are the only others to start 300 games as a pitcher-catcher pair.
Adam Wainwright and Yadier Molina are on track for a record
Is it possible for Wainwright and Molina to hold the record for the most battery starts in baseball history before their careers end? They’re within reach of that mark.
Lolich and Freehan started 324 games from 1963 to 1975. If Wainwright and Molina make the same appearances next year as they did this year, they’ll take the record before the 2022 season is done. Friday’s start was their 26th of the season together.
Of course, it’s not that simple. Both players need to still be active, healthy and on the same squad.
The Cardinals are reportedly open to bringing back Wainwright. He needs to decide if he wants to come back or hang up his cleats.
Molina is already signed up for the 2022 season. He agreed to a one-year deal in August. That’s one side of the equation settled. St. Louis needs Wainwright on board.
Wainwright just turned 40 at the end of August. It would be understandable if he wanted to retire. Then again, he can clearly still get the job done on the mound. He has an ERA of 2.97 with a 13-7 record this season.