Adam Wainwright, Cardinals Finalize $97.5M Deal

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — Pitcher Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to $97.5 million, five-year contract covering 2014-18 that raises his guaranteed income to $109.5 million over the next six seasons.

Wainwright had been eligible to become a free agent after the World Series. He gets $12 million this year under his previous deal, and the new agreement announced Thursday pays him $19.5 million in each of the following five years.

A 31-year-old right-hander, Wainwright was 14-13 with a 3.94 ERA last year after missing the Cardinals' World Series championship season in 2011 because of elbow surgery.

Wainwright was 20-11 with a 2.42 ERA in 2010 and was an NL All-Star.

Under Wainwright's previous contract, he was guaranteed $15 million from 2008-11, and the Cardinals had options for $9 million in 2012 and $12 million in 2013 that had to be exercised or declined simultaneously.