Wainwright activated, will work out of pen

The Cardinals have been hit hard with injuries as the regular season winds down, but will welcome a familiar face this week when ace Adam Wainwright is activated from the 60-day disabled list on Wednesday.

Wainwright, 34, tore his left Achilles tendon on April 25 while batting in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He was expected to miss the entire season, but completed his rehab ahead of schedule.

Prior to his Achilles injury, Wainwright was 2-1 with a 1.44 ERA in four starts.

With the Cardinals looking like a lock to win the NL Central, and already having clinched a postseason berth in a few capacity, Wainwright will help his team through the playoffs from the bullpen. He was the Cardinals closer in his rookie season of 2006, when he closed out both the National League Championship Series and the World Series.

“The medical staff kept saying, ‘There’s nearly no chance to come back, but let’s keep motivating you, ‘” Wainwright told mlb.com on Tuesday about his faster than expected recovery. That really drove me and, now, here’s that chance.

“I’m excited. Tomorrow is ideal”.

The two-time 20-game victor and three-time All-Star owns a career mark of 121-67 with a 2.90 ERA.