SAN LUIS – Puerto Rican Yadier Molina was inside the Busch stadium on Wednesday, doing the same routine that allowed him to stay in the game for 18 seasons. Unseen, he made his pre-game report against the national team alongside right-hander Adam Wainwright, the couple enlisting for the 277th time to play a game and getting closer to another record.
Game day for the Cardinals and therefore game day for Molina.
The Puerto Rican mask came out on Wednesday to host the 2,000th game of his career in the last game of the San Luis series against the national team, becoming the sixth receiver in history to reach that mark.
Three Hall of Famers did it. Three added a few hundred more matches. Only his compatriot, Iván Rodríguez, has several gold gloves.
No one had ever done it with a single team.
“The way I put this record in context, just like in Cal’s case. [Ripken Jr.], is to see the years he played. In Cal’s case, it’s every day, and in Yadi almost every day, “said Cardinals manager Mike Shildt. “I don’t know which one is more impressive, but both brands are amazing.
“Put 2,000 in a context of 162 games in the regular season and say, ‘If it can be in every game, how many years does it last?’ “And you’re impressed, especially when you see the evolution of the sport.”
Evolution, this is the key word. The Bayamón native has made public his dedication to improving his game with each passing year and evolving in parallel with his age, allowing some of the best results on the set so far this season. Molina entered Wednesday hitting .353 / .410 / .588 with two rounds at home and a 178 OPS + in his first 10 games in 2021 as a starter.
It is no coincidence that he receives Molina for his game of 2,000. Tuesday had the first day off of the season, with Wednesday queuing with Wainwright. It was the 277th meeting together for them – the sixth largest in history.
In six starts, they will become neighborhoods.
But this is a record for another day.