Adam Wainwright to Rejoin Cardinals Next Monday After Elbow Injury

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright hasn't played since May 13 because of right elbow inflammation, but he is set to rejoin the rotation in next Monday's home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to David Adler of MLB.com.      

The veteran discussed his readiness Monday after his latest rehab start, via Fox Sports Midwest:

The 37-year-old has made just four starts this season, producing a 4.00 ERA in 18 innings.

This was better than what we have seen lately from the veteran, who is in the midst of a downward trend since missing most of the 2015 season. Wainwright produced just a 4.62 ERA in 2016 and a 5.11 ERA last campaign, and both marks were the worst of his career in any full season.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals pitching staff has thrived without him in 2018.

Even with a relatively inexperienced rotation, St. Louis entered Monday with a 3.35 ERA from its starters, good for third-best in the majors.

Miles Mikolas has been one of the biggest bright spots with a 13-4 record and a 2.96 ERA, while Jack Flaherty (2.87 ERA), Carlos Martinez (3.32 ERA) and others have also shone. This has helped put the Cardinals in position to make the playoffs if the season ended today, as they are holding the second wild-card spot for the National League.

Still, Wainwright can bring depth as well as plenty of experience for the stretch run as someone who has been in the majors for 13 seasons. With 24 career postseason appearances, including 12 starts, he could be valuable in September and possibly October.