Among the many things around the Cardinals that are obvious well before they're official, add this one:
Adam Wainwright will start the one-game, do-or-done wild-card playoff game next Wednesday in California against either the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Francisco Giants.
"I mean, is it shocking?" manager Mike Shildt said.
He confirmed the assignment that was obvious with Wainwright's performance for the club this season and throughout the final two-month charge to the wild-card berth, and became crystal clear with the pitching assignments for the weekend against the Cubs.
The Cardinals' rotation for the regular-season finale will be:
• Dakota Hudson, RHP on Friday
• Jon Lester, LHP on Saturday
• Jake Woodford, RHP on Sunday
Shildt said the assignments were based on who has pitched most recently, with Hudson going this past Friday in Chicago and Lester following him the next day.