Baseball at the break: Adam Wainwright leads Jacksonville-area players in 2022 MLB

On the baseball diamond, the zero in the middle of the 904 area code might as well change to a letter O — as in Ouch.

Elbows. Calves. Hamstrings. That's just the beginning.

The injuries have outweighed the highlights for many of the Jacksonville area's players in Major League Baseball entering the All-Star break. Two players with First Coast ties have already seen their seasons come to an injury-induced early end.

The prime exception is the area's oldest player, 40-year-old Adam Wainwright. The veteran Cardinals starting pitcher has been not only durable but pitching some of his best baseball for several years.

Here's how Jacksonville-area players have fared in the opening half of the 2022 Major League Baseball season.

All-First Coast player of the year: Bradley Hodges a double threat for St. Johns Country Day

All-First Coast baseball: Meet the team for 2022 high school season in Northeast Florida

Javier Baez, Arlington Country Day, SS, Tigers

The two-time All-Star and former Most Valuable Player runner-up hasn't yet replicated his Cubs magic during his first three-plus months in Detroit. The first half: a .213 batting average, with nine homers, 18 doubles, 35 RBI, three stolen bases and a .626 OPS. Those aren't the numbers the Tigers had in mind when they signed the 29-year-old to a reported six-year, $140 million contract in the winter. The good news is that Baez has picked up the pace a bit of late after a miserable May (.159, one home run, two RBI, .432 OPS). At 37-55 and 12 games out of first place in the AL Central, the Tigers have a lot of work ahead.

Bryan Baker, University of North Florida, P, Orioles

The newest member of the big league brigade for the Ospreys. Baker made his MLB debut toward the tail end of 2021 with the Blue Jays, and he's become a regular part of the Baltimore bullpen so far this season. Through the first half of 2022, he's gone 3-3 with 44 strikeouts, 15 walks and a 4.08 ERA in 36 games, including a couple of appearances as an opener.

Mike Baumann, Jacksonville University, P, Orioles

The right-hander got a brief call-up during the spring, his second trip to the major leagues after playing four games in 2021. Baumann went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in seven games. He's now back in Triple-A with the Norfolk Tides.

Mike Clevinger, Wolfson, P, Padres

For the most part, the 31-year-old has recovered nicely from the Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entirety of 2021, although he hasn't fully escaped the injury bug — he missed time with a mid-May triceps strain. In 10 games, Clevinger holds a 2-3 record with a 3.50 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 46 1/3 innings. The target: regaining his form from the late 2010s, particularly the 2018 season with Cleveland when he went 13-8 with a 3.02 ERA and 207 strikeouts. A full-strength Clevinger could be a major boost to San Diego in the National League wild-card chase, adding to a rotation headlined by Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove.

Dane Dunning, Clay, P, Rangers

The former Gators pitcher, now 27, is among multiple Jacksonville-area players spending the break on the injured list. The Rangers placed him on the IL on July 11 due to an ankle impingement. Dunning had begun the season 1-6 through 18 starts, with a 4.42 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 95 2/3 innings. The injury disrupted what had been an improved start to the summer, including four quality starts in June. But Dunning's year has been frustrating more often than not: The Rangers have lost his last 10 starts, and in 12 of his 18 games, Texas batters have scored three or fewer runs.

Ben Gamel, Bishop Kenny, OF, Pirates

At the midway point, the stats from Gamel's second year with Pittsburgh look a lot like his first: similar batting average (.255 last year, .249 now), and several key stats (46 hits, 11 doubles, four home runs, 23 walks) are nearly on exact track for their 2021 final figures. He's appeared in 59 games across the outfield, although like several others from the area, Gamel has spent time on the injured list. He suffered a hamstring injury at the end of May and remained out of action until July 5.

Austin Hays, Jacksonville University, OF, Orioles

The former Dolphin is finding a rhythm for the surprising O's, an unexpected .500 ballclub in baseball's toughest division. He's batting .270 with 12 homers and 46 RBI, upping his OPS to .779 and playing 85 games in what's becoming a full-time role in the corner outfield positions. Could playoffs be in Hays' future? Though still in fifth place, Baltimore is only five games behind Tampa Bay for second in the AL East.

Justin Lawrence, First Coast, P, Rockies

The former Bucs pitcher has spent time in both the majors and minors this season, and he's currently at the Triple-A level. Lawrence made improvements to his control issues from 2021, when he walked 19 batters in 16 2/3 innings, although he's still issued nearly a base on balls per inning. He was 1-1 with a 5.17 ERA in 15 appearances for Colorado this year.

Nathaniel Lowe, St. Johns River State College, 1B, Rangers

Most often known as Nate Lowe until the latter part of the 2021 season, he's a reliable hitter for a Rangers team that once more appears set to miss the postseason with a 41-49 record at the break. Splitting time between first base and designated hitter, Lowe is batting .270 with 12 home runs, 38 RBI and a .752 OPS in his second season in the Lone Star State. Texas is counting on Lowe's bat: He ranks third on the team in OPS behind shortstop Corey Seager and catcher Jonah Heim.

Darren O'Day, Bishop Kenny, P, Braves

Now in his second stint with Atlanta, the veteran pitcher is adding to the bullpen manpower in the Braves' quest to repeat. However, it hasn't been entirely smooth for O'Day; his 4.15 ERA is his highest since 2011, and he landed on the injured list on July 13 with a strained left calf. His strikeout count remains strong, with 26 in 21 2/3 innings.

Roberto Perez, Lake City Community College, C, Pirates

A ruptured hamstring ended Perez's first year with the Pirates before it really got going. The 33-year-old, just starting out in Pittsburgh after eight seasons with Cleveland, sustained the injury while rounding second base on May 7, and he underwent season-ending surgery later in the month. Long noted for his fielding rather than his bat, Perez was showing improved contact at the plate prior to his injury, hitting .233 with a .700 OPS through 21 games.

Sean Reid-Foley, Sandalwood, P, Mets

A terrible break for the former Sandalwood ace. Reid-Foley was only seven games into his second year with the pennant-chasing Mets when the dreaded elbow injury halted his spring. An MRI at the end of April revealed a partial tear to his ulnar collateral ligament, and he underwent Tommy John surgery in Texas in May. The injury is expected to sideline him into 2023. Before the injury, Reid-Foley had appeared in seven games with a 5.40 ERA in 10 innings.

Austin Slater, Bolles, OF, Giants

In his sixth year with San Francisco, Slater has stepped up the contact with the bat, although he continues to see only part-time duty in the Giants' outfield (180 plate appearances in 70 games). Still, when he comes to the plate, he's productive. Now 29, Slater is batting .303 with five home runs and 22 RBI, with six steals and an OPS of .866. If he keeps it up, he's likely to earn greater playing time as the Giants chase for an NL wild card.

DJ Stewart, Bolles, OF, Orioles

It's been a difficult year for the former Bolles outfielder. Coming off seasons batting .193 (in 2020) and .204 (in 2021), Stewart only appeared in three games with three plate appearances before being sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk. He is currently on the injured list.

Bolles grad honored: DJ Stewart returns to Jacksonville for baseball jersey retirement

Myles Straw, St. Johns River State College, OF, Guardians

Though Straw is now getting the chance to start full-time for the second consecutive

season (he played 158 combined games in 2021 with Houston and Cleveland), his second year with the Guardians isn't living up to the promise at the plate from his first. Straw has seen his batting average plummet from .271 to .212, with an OPS of .571. Where he has excelled, though, is on the basepaths (13 stolen bases in 14 attempts) and especially on defense, where he's been error-free with excellent range in center field.

Adam Wainwright, Glynn Academy, P, Cardinals

The ageless right-hander turns 41 in August but shows no signs of slowing down. While shaky run support has left him with a 6-7 won-lost record, Wainwright has been excellent, with a 3-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, a 1.22 WHIP and a 3.00 ERA — his lowest for a full-length season since his 20-win campaign in 2014. Once again, he's helped the Cardinals fight their way into the National League Central battle, which looks like a two-horse race with Milwaukee.

Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Adam Wainwright durable as injuries plague 2022 Northeast Florida MLB athletes