By Mike Phillips | December 14, 2020 9:14 am
Player Review: Michael Wacha
2020 Stats: 8 Games, 7 Starts, 34.0 Innings Pitched, 1-4 Won-Loss Record, 6.62 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 37:7 K:BB Ratio, -0.2 WAR
Story: With the Mets needing starting pitching after Zack Wheeler went to Philadelphia, GM Brodie Van Wagenen acted quickly to add Michael Wacha to the starting rotation. Fresh off a 2019 campaign where Wacha showed signs of the potential displayed earlier in his career with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Mets handed Wacha a creative deal with $3 million in guarantees along with varying incentives based on innings pitched and multi-inning stints that could have raised the total value of the contract to $10 million. Wacha was competing for a spot in the rotation during spring training before the pandemic shut down baseball but an injury to Noah Syndergaard ensured he wouldn’t have to do that in summer camp.
The Mets saw an encouraging first start from Wacha, who defeated the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, but that would turn out to be the only win he would register on the year.
Mets need to sign Japanese SP Tomoyuki Sugano! He's been the obvious choice for a number of reasons not named Trevor Bauer...
ReplyDeleteHe will slot in nicely after deGrom. Then, should focus on fortifying the bullpen with top-tier RPs (like Brad Hand and/or Liam Hendricks).