
No. 5: Adam Wainwright (2021)
Following an up and down 2019 that saw Wainwright turn in a strong second half performance, Wainwright came back to the club on a one-year, $8 million deal for what was supposed to be his last season with the Cardinals.
Wainwright proceeded to turn into one of the best storylines of 2021, finishing 7th in Cy Young and 20th in MVP voting at age 40. Wainwright was the anchor in a rotation devastated by injuries, posting an ERA of 3.05 over 206.1 innings with a record of 17-7. Waino’s ability to eat innings at a high level and turn in gems was one of the major reasons the club was able to stay afloat and make a late playoff push.
This was one of the best one year values that a club could hope for, especially for someone who turned 40 years old in August. If Waino can be anything close to that in 2022, he’ll prove to be another great investment.