Adam Wainwright on DH: 'Baseball has to stay doing what it is'

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright said baseball should "keep doing what it is" with regards to the DH

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright said baseball should "keep doing what it is" with regards to the designated hitter rule.

Wainwright will miss the rest of the season after tearing his Achilles while running out a pop-up. The injury sparked debate about whether pitchers should continue to bat in the National League.

The designated hitter was first installed in the American League in 1973.

"I don't think I can remember another pitcher injuring his Achilles at bat."
--Adam Wainwright

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) April 28, 2015

Cont'd "It could've happened doing anything. It could've happened carrying my daughter up the steps. Baseball has to stay doing what it is."

— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) April 28, 2015

CORCORAN AND JAFFE: After Adam Wainwright's injury, what's next for Cardinals, DH role?

Wainwright is a career .198 hitter. He has one career home run and 166 strikeouts in 582 plate appearances since 2005.

Pitcher performance at the plate has declined precipitously in recent years.

Shame that Waino might miss the year, but at least we'll get to see other exciting offensive performances by pitchers pic.twitter.com/NstYePKp2Q

— Ben Lindbergh (@BenLindbergh) April 26, 2015

Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, who injured his thumb while batting and will miss his next start, said he enjoys batting but "wouldn't be opposed" to a universal DH.

Wainwright has finished in the top three in NL Cy Young voting two years in a row and four times since 2009.

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- Alex Putterman