Adam Wainwright says no to the DH in NL

Since injuring his Achilles tendon on Saturday night in the batter’s box, St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright has said that he does not want the designated hitter in the National League.

More from Adam Wainwright

For those arguing in favor of the DH with the injuries over the weekend to both Wainwright and Max Scherzer, the argument that it is time to bring the DH to the National League is certainly valid. It doesn’t mean that we all have to agree or disagree on the matter. I have been a longtime opponent of bringing the DH to the National League and will continue to have that opinion.

“I couldn’t disagree more with that,” Wainwright said, according to MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch, about bringing the DH to the NL.

Wainwright explained in-depth:

"“I just think baseball is a National League game. I wish both leagues would convert to National League baseball. And I understand why people would say that, but you can’t point to another instance, almost, where the pitcher has hurt [his] Achilles doing that kind of thing. Running the bases? Maybe once or twice a year. Maybe."

"“Baseball, the strategy and the game itself in the National League is just a better game, in my opinion. I hope that people don’t look at this — which I know they already are — and think that we should switch to a DH now. Baseball is a beautiful game. I just hope it doesn’t change too much.”"

Wainwright believes that the injury was “a fluke thing” and that the game “needs to stay just the way it is.”

I can’t blame the Georgian native one bit. It just would not be the National League should one bring the DH. It would make the NL no different from the AL–and let’s be honest, the two leagues need their differences. It’s a game of different strategies between the two. With the NL, you have double-switches upon bringing in a new pitcher. The AL doesn’t have to worry about it.

Schedule