Major League Baseball

Cards' Wainwright doesn't want DH in NL, calls injury 'fluke'

Published Apr. 29, 2015 9:53 a.m. ET

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St. Louis Cardinals star right-hander Adam Wainwright inadvertently created the debate when he a suffered season-ending Achilles injury while batting Saturday, and now he wants to share his two cents.

Wainwright doesn't want the National League to use the designated hitter.

"I understand why people would say that, but you can't point to another instance, almost, that the pitcher got hurt, whether or not it was their Achilles, doing that kind of thing," Wainwright told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "The strategy and the game itself in the National (League) is just a better game, in my opinion. I hope that people don't look at this --€” which I know they already are --€” and think we should switch to a DH for pitchers. I think baseball is a beautiful game and I hope it doesn't change too much."

The outcry for the universal DH has grown in recent days because of injuries to Wainwright and Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer (thumb). In fact, it even has led to some back-and-forth between Scherzer and San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner.

But Wainwright wants it all to end here, noting that he could have suffered the same injury while covering first base or fielding a bunt.

"It was a fluke thing and baseball needs to stay exactly where it is," Wainwright told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

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