The Padres aren’t done adding depth to their rotation, agreeing to a deal with right-hander Michael Wacha, pending a physical, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Tuesday. The club has not confirmed.
Wacha signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Red Sox last offseason, joining his fourth team in as many years.
Although he made two trips to the injured list — the first with left intercostal irritation and the second with right shoulder inflammation — and was limited to 23 starts, Wacha led Red Sox hurlers in wins above replacement (3.3) while pitching to a 3.32 ERA over 127 1/3 innings.
That represented a huge improvement over his performance from the previous three seasons, a span in which the righty recorded a 5.11 ERA for the Cardinals, Mets and Rays.
Wacha spent his first seven seasons with St. Louis after being selected 19th overall in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Texas A&M University. He made his debut after less than a year in the Minors and hit the ground running as a rookie in 2013, posting a 2.78 ERA over 15 games (nine starts) in the regular season before turning in a dominant postseason.
Wacha went 4-1 with a 2.64 ERA and 33 K’s in 30 2/3 innings over five playoff starts that year, becoming the third rookie to win LCS MVP honors and helping the Cardinals reach the World Series.
The rest of his tenure with the Cards was marred by injuries and inconsistency, though he did earn an All-Star selection in 2015.
Now 31, Wacha will enter 2023 with a career 4.05 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP and 1,021 strikeouts over 10 big league seasons.
