Inside The Cardinals

Ex-Cardinals Fan Favorite Re-Signs With St. Louis Before Announcing Retirement

The former St. Louis slugger is moving on with his life

Nate Hagerty

Sep 10, 2018; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams (15) is dunked by Francisco Pena (46) after a come from behind victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Sep 10, 2018; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Adams (15) is dunked by Francisco Pena (46) after a come from behind victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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The St. Louis Cardinals are a young team and over the last few years, fans have had to watch several fan favorites walk away from the game after retiring.

Since the retirements of Cardinals legends Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina following the end of the 2022 season, St. Louis has yet to make it back to the playoffs.

Times like this are when Cardinals fans wish they could reunite with former St. Louis sluggers to help the team get back to genuine postseason contention. A reunion has just happened but sadly, the former slugger won't be smashing home runs in Busch Stadium anytime soon.

"This Wednesday, September 18, I'll be back at Busch Stadium where it all started, the place that made me 'Big City'," Former St. Louis first baseman Matt Adams announced Sunday night. "Surrounded by family, friends and the organization that believed in me -- the big kid from Slippery Rock, an underdog from Philipsburg, PA -- I have the honor off retiring a St. Louis Cardinal. No Matter where baseball took me over the years and no matter where it takes me in the future, St. Louis is my home."

Adams batted .266 with 148 extra-base hits including 59 home runs, 226 RBIs and a .760 OPS throughout seven seasons with the Cardinals.

The 36-year-old is best remembered in St. Louis for his incredible performance during game four of the 2014 NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers in which Adams clobbered a three-run home run off future Hall of Fame starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead -- ultimately helping the club win the series three games to one.

After spending the last few years battling injuries and struggling to climb back to the majors, Adams leaves behind a respectable career in which he batted .258 with 254 extra-base hits including 118 home runs, 399 RBIs and a .769 OPS throughout 10 seasons played in the big leagues.

More MLB: Cardinals Insider Claims 'It's Time To Move On' From Superstar This Offseason

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Nate Hagerty

NATE HAGERTY

Nate Hagerty joined “Inside The Cardinals” as a content creator to spread knowledge about his favorite childhood team. A hometown native of Boston, Hagerty chose at an early age of six years old to follow the St. Louis Cardinals. The miraculous season of 04’ for the Red Sox did not deter Hagerty from rooting against his hometown team, nor did it in 2013 against the Red Birds. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu 

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