ST. LOUIS – Adam Wainwright is not only pushing for 200 wins in his final season, he’s brought back a fan-friendly competition that became popular last year.
Wainwright announced his first Busch Stadium scavenger hunt of the 2023 season via Twitter on Saturday. Like last year, he signed a ball and hid it somewhere around Busch Stadium for fans to try to find.
The 41-year-old starting pitcher first organized scavenger hunts at his home ballpark last year, following his self-coined “Day After Pitching Old Man Walk.” Wainwright documented several strolls and adventures around ballparks last year, including Busch Stadium, as part of a “DAPOMW” trend on Twitter.
Wainwright’s clues to find the baseball often convey positive messages and brief Cardinals history lessons. His first clue Saturday was actually based on a song from rock band Creed. As of 5 p.m. Saturday, nearly an hour before gametime, Wainwright has not yet announced whether anyone has found the ball.
It seems Wainwright is looking to lift spirits during a tough go in 2023. The Cardinals sit near the bottom of the NL standings with a 48-63, just traded away several key players and will likely miss postseason for the first time in five years barring a miracle.
For Wainwright, it’s not the sendoff season had envisioned either. After a rough start Friday, he is now at 3-6 with a 7.81 ERA and only one quality start through 14 outings. He remains two victories away from a big milestone of 200 wins, though has been stuck there for nearly two months. He’s also dealt with some shoulder discomfort this year, but he hopes the best is still ahead.
“I’m really looking forward to going on a nice run here where I put up some zeroes,” said Wainwright after Friday’s loss via Bally Sports Midwest. “I’m tired of doing interviews with you all with the same old sad face, but Im keeping a positive outlook on it. … I know I can do it.”
The Cardinals continue a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies on Saturday before a lengthy homestand comes to a close on Sunday.