Cardinals pick up option on injured Wainwright

~ The right-hander will be with the club for at least two more seasons

ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals have picked up a two-year, $21 million contract option on injured pitcher Adam Wainwright, helping set their rotation for next year.

Wainwright, a 20-game winner in 2010, is rehabbing from elbow surgery in February that sidelined him for the entire season. He threw his final bullpen session before St. Louis played Texas in Game 6 of the World Series on Thursday.

The Cardinals previously picked up the option on Chris Carpenter's contract. Jaime Garcia, Kyle Lohse and Jake Westbrook are signed for 2012.

Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said the move has been a formality for months. The Cardinals expect Wainwright will be ready for spring training with no restrictions.

"Obviously, we just wanted to be smart and make sure his rehab was going well," Mozeliak said. "But we never had any doubts we'd be picking up the option."

Wainwright was 20-11 with a 2.42 ERA last year, made his first All-Star team and finished second behind Philadelphia's Roy Halladay in the Cy Young Award balloting. The right-hander led the NL with 19 wins and 233 innings in 2009 and won a Gold Glove, finishing third in Cy Young voting.

Wainwright will be paid $9 million next season and $12 million in 2012.

The Cardinals plugged the hole in the rotation by promoting setup man Kyle McClellan, who was a big success in the first half and finished with 12 wins. They also acquired Edwin Jackson near the trade deadline.

Wainwright stayed with the team throughout the season while getting treatment. Wainwright, Bruce Sutter and Bob Gibson, who all recorded the final out for a Cardinals championship, threw out ceremonial first pitches before Game 1 of the World Series.

Wainwright was the stand-in closer in 2006 for injured Jason Isringhausen and got the last out in both the NLCS and World Series.