Cardinals: Adam Wainwright trolls Albert Pujols after first pitching performance

St. Louis Cardinals legendary pitcher Adam Wainwright trolled Albert Pujols after first pitching performance on Sunday.

As the St. Louis Cardinals blew out the San Francisco Giants, manager Oli Marmol wanted to preserve his bullpen arms in the late innings. That meant getting creative and making history at the same time.

In the ninth inning, Albert Pujols took the mound and recorded the final three outs of a 15-6 blowout. He just so happened to allow three hits, including two home runs, and four runs in one inning pitched in the first pitching performance of his 22-year career.

And after the game, his longtime teammate and close friend Adam Wainwright trolled him. He tweeted: Don’t worry, Albert. … I gave up a home run in my first ever game too! You’ll figure it out and who knows… 17 years from now you and Andrew Knizner might break me and Yadi’s record!”

That’s elite level trolling. It also highlights the good juju and energy surrounding this Cardinals team, which is no surprise considering the continuity on the roster and veteran presences all over the locker room. The seamless fit having Oli Marmol at the helm, who replaced Mike Shildt as manager, has also helped the team and clubhouse hit the ground running in 2022.

But having Pujols, Wainwright and Molina all on the same team, for what is likely each of their last seasons, is perhaps the coolest storyline in MLB this season. Each came up together, emerged as Hall of Fame players, and remained best friends despite Pujols signing a long-term contract with the Angels in 2011.

That storyline has only grown with Pujols taking the mound on Sunday. It may not have gone how he wanted, of course, but it still resulted in a lopsided victory — and an epic troll job by his longtime teammate and friend in Wainwright.