JUPITER, Fla. — The last starting pitcher to swing a bat in a game for the Cardinals will be the first one to hit for them this year. Adam Wainwright, a career .199 hitter, who batted once unsuccessfully in the final spring training game the Cardinals played here in 2020 before the coronavirus-induced shutdown, will take his swings Friday night when the Cardinals take on the Houston Astros.
Before the Cardinals began a day of drills and review on Thursday, manager Mike Shildt said that his team’s pitchers would begin hitting on Friday in home spring games or games against National League teams on the road.