Wainwright, who was leaning toward making the 2020 season his last, is now much likelier to return in 2021 due to current circumstances, Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

EDGE Analysis

In his response to a reader question about the veteran right-hander's future beyond this year, Hummel notes Wainwright has recently been talking about the possibility of playing next year during the current shutdown. The chances of a return probably go up exponentially if the 2020 season is wiped out altogether, but even in the event of a 55-to-60-game campaign this year, the physical toll on Wainwright's arm will naturally be a fraction of what it would have been under normal circumstances. However, the 38-year-old is slated for unrestricted free agency next offseason, so it remains to be seen if Wainwright's perception of his value will align with that of the Cardinals or the open market overall.