Adam Wainwright is starting 2015 the same way he ended last year: battling an injury. This time, the St. Louis Cardinals ace is reportedly dealing with an abdominal issue.
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Wainwright to Receive Exam on Abdominal Pain
Tuesday, Feb. 24
According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Wainwright will return to St. Louis for an examination:
In his full report, Goold wrote the Cardinals are expecting to know by Thursday "the treatment Wainwright will require and how much time he'll miss."
The report includes a quote from Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak saying the team's level of concern is "medium at this point." It also notes that Wainwright's abdominal issue is only prevalent when he's working out, not when he's pitching.
Wainwright, who has finished in the top three for NL Cy Young voting each of the last two years, underwent arthroscopic surgery to trim cartilage in his right elbow after St. Louis lost to San Francisco in the National League Championship Series.
The Cardinals have to be extra careful with Wainwright this year since their pitching staff has thinned out in the last 12 months. Michael Wacha is an unknown quantity after missing most of 2014. Shelby Miller was traded to Atlanta. John Lackey can eat innings, but he's 36 years old and in the twilight of his career.
Wainwright is the workhorse for this rotation, having thrown 468.2 innings in the regular season since 2013. He's starting to get up there at 33 years old and will need to be protected, especially in the spring, to make it through the rigors of a 162-game season.
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