Padres' Michael Wacha: Tosses three frames in spring debut
Rotowire
Wacha allowed two unearned runs over three innings in a Cactus League contest against Cleveland on Thursday. He yielded three hits and no walks while striking out two batters.
Wacha signed with the Padres in mid-February and took the mound for the first time in a San Diego uniform Thursday. The veteran right-hander gave up a pair of runs in the second inning, but both were unearned because the inning began with his own error. Wacha enjoyed a bounce-back campaign with Boston last season and is expected to serve as the Padres' No. 4 starter in the upcoming campaign.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Michael Wacha: Deal has three-year player option
Rotowire
Wacha's one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Padres contains a two-year club option for 2024-25 and a three-year player option for 2024-26.
If the Padres decline their two-year, $32 million club option after the 2023 season, then Wacha has the ability to exercise a three-year, $18.5 million player option. There's also a $500,000 incentive for both 20 and 25 games started and a $1 million incentive for games started in 2023 and all player option years. All told, the deal guarantees Wacha at least $26 million and could be worth up to $41.5 million.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Michael Wacha: Can earn up to $24 million
Rotowire
Wacha's new deal has the potential to be worth up to $24 million, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Rosenthal calls the deal "complex," as it contains both player and team options and allows the Padres to protect themselves and lower his AAV for purposes to lower the luxury-tax hit. The right-hander should pitch near the bottom of the San Diego rotation to open the year, but the San Diego offense should give him plenty of chances to pick up wins when he is on the bump in 2023.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Michael Wacha: Agrees to terms with Padres
Rotowire
Wacha is in agreement on a contract with the Padres, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
Rosenthal reports the deal can earn him $24 million over four years, but that it's a complicated structure that includes player and teams options. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com notes that with the addition of Wacha, the Padres are likely to implement a six-man rotation at least at the beginning of the season. It would help to ease the burden on Nick Martinez -- who split time between starting and relieving in 2022 -- and Seth Lugo -- who hasn't been used as a regular starter since 2017. Wacha is coming off a nice 2022 season that saw him post a 3.32 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 104:31 K:BB in 127.1 innings across 23 starts.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Allows three homers Sunday
Rotowire
Wacha (11-2) took the loss Sunday in Toronto, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four in four innings.
Wacha was hit hard Sunday, allowing a home run in each of the second, third and fourth innings. The 31-year-old did not give up three homers in any of his first 21 starts this season but was taken deep three times in each of his last two starts. He will be a free agent after the season and has played well enough to likely get a better deal than the one-year, $7 million contract he received for 2022. For the season, he went 11-2 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 104:31 K:BB in 127.1 innings across 23 starts.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Walloped by Orioles
Rotowire
Wacha tossed 3.1 innings, giving up six runs on eight hits while striking out three in Tuesday's 13-9 win over the Orioles. He did not factor into the decision.
Wacha struggled to keep the Orioles off the bases Tuesday, surrendering eight runs and three homers, both of which were season highs. The blowup ended a five-game streak of quality starts for the 31-year-old and raised his ERA from 2.70 to 3.06 on the season. He'll look to return to form in his final start of the 2022 campaign, which is tentatively set to come Sunday versus the Blue Jays.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Throws seven frames
Rotowire
Wacha yielded a run on seven hits over seven innings against Kansas City on Friday. He struck out four and did not factor in the decision.
Wacha tossed five scoreless innings before the Royals opened the game's scoring in the sixth on Salvador Perez's RBI single. The 31-year-old righty lowered his season ERA to 2.61 with a 92:26 K:BB through 20 starts. Since the start of June, Wacha is 8-0 with a 2.70 ERA across 73.1 frames. He's lined up to start in Cincinnati next week.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Strikes out five in win
Rotowire
Wacha (11-1) earned the win against Baltimore on Saturday, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out five and walking none over six innings.
Wacha tossed 60 of 82 pitches for strikes across six frames Saturday. Cedric Mullins accounted for two of the runs against Wacha on a solo shot in the third inning and an RBI single in the fifth. The other earned run came on a Jorge Mateo sac fly. Wacha has been impressive in his last six games, picking up five quality starts and four wins without losing a contest. During that span he has a 2.73 ERA across 36.2 innings. His season ERA now sits at 2.69.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Fans seven in no-decision
Rotowire
Wacha allowed two runs on seven hits over six innings against the Rays on Monday. He struck out seven and did not factor in the decision.
Wacha was in line for the win before Boston's bullpen gave up the game-winning run in the seventh inning. He gave up an RBI single to Harold Ramirez in the first inning followed by an RBI double from Randy Arozarena in the fifth. The 31-year-old righty has given up two or fewer runs in four of his last five starts, lowering his season ERA to an impressive 2.58 through 101 innings. Wacha is expected to start in Baltimore this weekend.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Sleeper pitchers for Week 23 (Sept. 5-11)
Rotowire
Wacha has had the look of an overachiever most of the year, but his stuff has played up in four starts since returning from a shoulder injury, setting him up for an attractive two-start slate at the Rays and Orioles.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Picks up 10th win
Rotowire
Wacha (10-1) earned the win over Minnesota on Wednesday, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out seven batters over six innings.
Wacha induced a modest eight swinging strikes in the contest but still managed a healthy seven strikeouts. He allowed a two-run homer to Luis Arraez in the third inning but otherwise kept Minnesota off the scoreboard en route to his 10th win of the campaign. Wacha is posting a career-low 7.2 K/9 on the campaign, yet he is also on pace for career-best marks in ERA (2.56) and WHIP (1.02). He's been fortunate to record an unusually low BABIP, however, so it's logical to wonder if his strong numbers will continue to hold.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Earns win in shaky outing
Rotowire
Wacha (9-1) yielded four runs on five hits and a walk over six innings Friday, striking out six and earning a win over the Rays.
Wacha served up a homer to Yandy Diaz on the first pitch of the game before Ji-Man Choi took him deep in the second inning. Before Friday's lackluster outing, the veteran righty had tossed 12.2 scoreless frames since returning from the injured list earlier this month. However, he still picked up his ninth win of the year, and he's posted a 2.61 ERA through eight starts since his last loss May 31. Wacha will carry a 2.53 ERA into his projected start in Minnesota next week.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Strikes out four in win
Rotowire
Wacha (8-1) earned the win against Baltimore on Saturday, allowing no runs on four hits while striking out four and walking one over 5.2 innings.
Wacha was lights-out across 5.2 innings, limiting the damage to just five baserunners and not allowing any to score. He threw 52 of 79 pitches for strikes in the contest. The righty has not allowed an earned run in two games since returning from the IL. He has lowered his ERA to 2.28 in the process.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Electric in return from IL
Rotowire
Wacha (7-1) earned the win Sunday, allowing zero runs on two hits and one walk over seven innings in a 3-0 win over the Yankees. He struck out nine.
Wacha was nothing short of electric Sunday night against the Yankees, holding New York to just three total baserunners over seven innings in his first start since being activated from the IL with a shoulder injury. Of note, he got the best of MVP frontrunner Aaron Judge, holding him hitless with two strikeouts over three at bats en route to nine total strikeouts on the night, his highest total of the season. The right hander has been great this season with a 2.44 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, which is backed up by his xERA of 2.69, but interestingly he holds a 4.30 xFIP. He tentatively lines up to take on the Orioles in Baltimore next.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Reinstated for Sunday's start
Rotowire
Wacha (shoulder) was activated from the 15-day injured list to start Sunday against the Yankees, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
The 31-year-old has been sidelined since late June by the shoulder injury, but he's been cleared to rejoin Boston's rotation after a two-game rehab stint with Triple-A Worcester. Wacha threw 79 pitches over 4.1 frames during his final rehab outing, so he shouldn't face any significant workload limitations in his first start back.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Confirmed as Sunday's starter
Rotowire
Wacha (shoulder) will be activated and start Sunday's game against the Yankees, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports.
Wacha has been sidelined since June 28, but he may not be on a strict pitch count after working up to 79 pitches in his most recent rehab outing. For the season, Wacha has maintained a 2.69 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 50:22 K:BB across 70.1 frames.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Should return from IL on Sunday
Rotowire
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said there's a "good chance" Wacha (shoulder) will be activated from the 15-day injured list Sunday against the Yankees, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
In anticipation of Wacha's return, Cora said that Rich Hill -- who started Tuesday against Atlanta -- will be available out of the bullpen for the weekend series rather than returning to the hill Sunday on his standard four days' rest. Assuming Wacha experiences no setbacks with his shoulder during an upcoming bullpen session, he looks like he'll face no restrictions in his start against the Yankees. While making the second start of his rehab assignment at Double-A Portland on Tuesday, Wacha struck out five over 4.1 innings (79 pitches) while allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Eyeing five-inning rehab start
Rotowire
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wacha (shoulder) is expected to cover about five innings in his rehab start Tuesday for Double-A Portland, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.
Five innings or 85 pitches will be the target for Wacha in what should be the final outing of his two-start minor-league rehab assignment. If his shoulder responds well coming out of Tuesday's start, Wacha should be activated from the 15-day injured list to make his return to the Boston rotation Sunday against the Yankees at Fenway Park.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Needs another rehab start
Rotowire
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wacha (shoulder) will make another rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Worcester, MLB.com reports.
Wacha was impressive during an Aug. 4 outing for Worcester, retiring the first 13 batters and 14 of 15 over a scoreless 4.2 innings. Cora said the goal is one more rehab start before Wacha joins the club at the end of the week. Wacha tentatively lines up to start Sunday's home game against the Yankees.
... See More... See Less
Red Sox's Michael Wacha: Throws 63 pitches in rehab outing
Rotowire
Wacha (shoulder) didn't allow a hit and struck out eight across 4.2 innings with Triple-A Worcester in a rehab outing Thursday, Joe McDonald of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports.
Wacha threw 63 pitches in his first rehab outing and looked quite sharp. It's unclear where he'll make his next start, but Wacha will return to Boston on Friday to get treatment and prepare to throw another bullpen session, so his status should be updated again within the next few days.
