Opening Days are nice, according to Adam Wainwright, who’s pitched in five of them over his illustrious careers. But home openers, those may be on another level.

Especially home openers that will welcome fans back to Busch Stadium for the first time in over a year.

“It's so special to pitch at Busch Stadium in front of our people, in front of our fans,” Wainwright said after he spun six dazzling innings in a Grapefruit League tie (5-5) with the Nationals on Tuesday. “They always do such a really great job of making me feel loved. They really do. … I can't wait to go out and compete for them.”

Wainwright will start the Cardinals’ home opener April 8 against the Brewers, as the club officially mapped out this week, giving the “legacy” player his sixth chance to open Busch Stadium’s slate of 81 games. This year, as opposed to last, the Cardinals will welcome fans at 32% capacity due to the ongoing pandemic.

It’s a deserved recognition for Wainwright, who was lauded for his leadership over the arduous 2020 season, both for his outspokenness through the club’s midseason pause and for how he led the club on the field. It was Wainwright who led the Cardinals to a win in St. Louis’ first game back from its COVID-19 outbreak, part of his 3.15 ERA across a team-leading 10 starts.

This spring, there’s been no slowing down for the ageless wonder: five starts, 19 2/3 innings, 1.83 ERA, 20 strikeouts and only three walks, after what may be his crispest outing of the spring on Tuesday.

“I feel great,” Wainwright said. “Doesn't make any sense. … Every year I've gotten further removed from feeling like I was retired. I feel like I'm kind of turning back the clock a little bit.

“And now I'm 39, about to turn 40 this year, and I feel like I'm 30, honestly,” Wainwright said. “Maybe lower than that. I don't know if my body’s felt this good ever.”

Wainwright likely has one more Grapefruit League start, which would probably be a limited outing, before the club heads north. As it stands, Wainwright is lined up behind Opening Day starter Jack Flaherty for the season’s second game in Cincinnati.

And then, that much-anticipated start at Busch, with the Clydesdales and the red jackets he may wear one day in tow.

“There's really nothing that can compare to Opening Day at Busch Stadium,” said manager Mike Shildt, “other than playoff baseball at Busch Stadium. Looking forward to both with fans in attendance this year.”

Late-game heroics -- and impressions
Down by three and to their final out on Tuesday, the Cardinals -- buoyed by a slew of players trying to make the roster -- escaped with a tie. Austin Dean’s two-run homer, his first of spring, brought St. Louis within one. Back-to-back walks from Max Moroff and John Nogowski set the table for José Rondón’s game-tying single, which handed St. Louis its fifth tie of the spring.

In the later stages of a spring game, when the Cardinals are looking for bubble roster options to step up, they got just that, setting up what should be a fascinating final week for bench battles.

“Doing really good, competition is good, guys are answering the bell,” Shildt said. “I mean, gosh, man.”

Carlson meets center field

The Cardinals’ outfield defense has seldom been in question this spring, knowing all three of their projected starters -- Tyler O’Neill, Harrison Bader and Dylan Carlson -- are capable of playing each spot. But with Matt Carpenter’s role uncertain, St. Louis is keeping its options open.

When Carpenter starts at second, Tommy Edman will likely occupy one of the corner-outfield spots, which could require sitting O’Neill or Carlson. Otherwise, the Cardinals are test-running other possibilities during the last week of camp, which could mean Bader sits and Carlson takes over in center, as happened Tuesday. For his part, Nogowski also made his debut in the outfield against Washington, trying to be as expendable as possible.

In part, the plan is to remain as flexible as possible for when the season starts. But it also provides an insurance plan for Bader, who’s 3-for-28 this spring, with only one base knock off a righty after battling some right forearm soreness early in camp.

“Anytime you get plugged out, taken out of some rhythm, it becomes a little challenging to get back into it,” Bader said Monday. “But there's no excuses. … And so far, since I've been back, there’s been a lot of positives in my book.”

Around the horn

• Left-hander Kwang Hyun Kim, whose date for a Grapefruit League appearance is still being determined, is being built back up from his back tightness ailment with a starter’s workload, not a reliever.

• Right-hander John Gant, who’s made three starts (four appearances) this spring, has all but secured himself a spot in the rotation, Shildt said. Gant owns a 4.40 ERA in his four outings this spring, last tossing five crisp innings of one-run ball on Saturday.

“I can’t declare it because I haven’t had the conversation with John, and those conversations will be taking place in the next several days,” Shildt said, “but you know, John's done everything he needs to do to be in a rotation, and clearly some opportunities have been provided.”