The Cardinals have decided to move struggling righty Michael Wacha to the bullpen, MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch was among those to report on Twitter.
Wacha, 27, just hasn’t turned the corner this year after turning in good results during an injury-shortened 2018 campaign. Through nine starts in the present season, he carries a 5.59 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 5.6 BB/9 over 46 2/3 frames.
It’s certainly hard to ignore the downturn in Wacha’s overall showing. He’s working with less velocity than ever before (93.0 mph average fastball). His swinging-strike (8.1%) and soft contact (11.9%) rates are sitting at career-low levels. Wacha has been out of the zone on nearly three of every five pitches, much lower than his career average, and has already allowed as many homers (9) this year as he did in nearly twice as many innings in 2018.
The timing isn’t great for Wacha. He’s earning $6.35MM this season in his final run through arbitration. Unless he can engineer a stunning turnaround over the final two-thirds of the season, Wacha’s prospective free agent opportunities will be more of the bounceback than the multi-year variety.
It isn’t yet known how the Cards will fill the open rotation slot, but there are options at Triple-A. Austin Gomber has been throwing quite well and could make for a sensible choice, though he needs to clear a few health hurdles first. Alex Reyes has been tough to square up but is also giving out too many walks; he’ll surely be called back to the majors at some point, but may spend a bit more time working out the kinks at the highest level of the minors.
The first of many changes to the staff. Wainwright has no business starting either. He’s next, if Carpenter and Molina approve it.
So you haven’t bothered watching him pitch or even looking at a stat line huh?
Who are you referring? Wainwright? If so, why don’t you enlighten us with your brilliance on Wainwright. Tell me all about his CY YOUNG stats.
Hey nick are you a Russian troll or just a fan with no knowledge and just complains about myths. Wainwright’s been our best pitcher this year and looking more consistent! Take seat and realize your opinion has so many holes in it!
C’mon dude, he’s been legitimately below replacement level by every measure. 4.82 ERA with a FIP over 5 is below average for a number 5. His peripherals are even worse than his currently bad numbers. Time to shake things up by actually playing the best players. Honestly Gant should get worked back into the rotation too.
Hollodayfever he’s actually slightly above replacement level with .2 WAR
Awesome! That plays out to 0.6 for the year. Go get em Waino.
Assfucdhgh, you make a comment like this and call me a troll? 4.82 ERA. 41K and 23 BB and you consider that good? And if he’s their best pitcher, then that explains why they’re a .500 team. I’ll tell you this one more time. I know more about baseball than you will ever dream of. Don’t ever call people trolls when you are so dense.
carpenter, molina and possibly wainwright arr cardinal cancers.
Couldn’t agree more.
Molina? Really…I mean he is only one of the best catchers In The MLB…
Would you trade Yadi for Trout? #BFIB
molina now has more team cancer than greatness
He is one of the laziest ball player in the league. He can’t throw out the fast runners. I give you Billy Hamilton. Also Molina has the official scorer in his pocket. A lot of balls go by Mo that should called passed ball but gets called Wild pitch. Seen 2 balls this year go thru his legs while catching & gets called Wild Pitch. And when LaRussa was manager I don’t think Molina had one passed ball. LaRussa would go to scorer and tell the scorer to change it Wild Pitch. And it was.
Careful what you say about Molina… He may throw a psycho spitting fit on you then lecture you about respecting the game…
Hey Cards fans do you still think my Stroman offer is still so outlandish?
Ha!!!
Yes
Wainwright has had more good starts this season than bad starts. He’s been more consistent than Wacha and Mikolas.
Yes +1
Yes because Reyes is looking good and getting rid of the rust last start showed positive results! Plus who’s saying Toronto not you gives up Stroman for other prospects if we want him. Only a quarter of the year let’s see even if Stroman stays healthy!
I don’t even know what the offer is, but if the person proposing it needs one of the teams to be desperate for anyone to find it feasible, it was definitely outlandish to begin with.
Wacha will be signed by the Astros over the offseason and turn into an ace. Watch.
Ohhhh ok…. I’m gonna Watch!
This made me laugh, we’ll done!
A lot of pitchers do.
This rotation had problems from the get go. Especially once Martinez pulled another crazy fall from grace. Add in Mikolas suddenly unable to find the strike zone, Waino being well past his prime and Hudson not living up to expectations. A recipe for disaster. Wacha should have been in the pen last season, but our management is slow to act.
I’m hoping Gomber makes the jump, so we’ll at least have a lefty in the rotation. Moreover, i’d like the FO to get Minor from the Rangers, but they’ll likely balk at the price.
Max and Madbum are probably going to be available soon just saying. Other then that please get somebody to eat some innings!
innings eater? how about a winner, instead?
I guess the Cardinals owner regrets letting Lunhow go?
Nope because it’s the player not a gm or president in the FO. For all those bombings in Houston you have won 1 WS!
At least they are in the post season.
You really should stop posting before you really start looking like an azz.
Yes, yes they do. Mo must go.
No way you’re possibly suggesting you’d take St. Louis situation over the Astros the last 3 plus seasons. Yeah they rebuilt but now it’s looking like a little rebuild wouldn’t be the worst idea in STL.
The starting pitching has been a huge let down. Guys haven’t been going long into games and it won’t be long until the pen gets worn out. Wacha just hasn’t put it together this year. Maybe a move to the pen for a couple weeks along with the possibility of decreased earnings this off season will scare him straight.
Shoot, he can come start for the O’s.
My rotation would be Flaherty, Mikolas, Martinez, Reyes and Gant/Ponce. Hudson needs some polish and Waino can move to the pen. Season is FAR from over. Gomber could potentially help and Wacha may do well in the pen IDK. Kind of thinking injuries have taken a toll. Plenty of pieces to rearrange before the trade deadline.
No, keep Wainwright in there. I enjoy watching him throw 60 curveballs a game and 100 pitches in 5 innings. However, that makes him the ACE of the staff according to ASSFUCDGH.
You’re not factoring in the ‘intangible’ – BFIB
If I hear Waino say after pitching a bad game, “I just didn’t clock in” like he’s a blue collar worker. You play baseball you idiot
Time to sign Dallas Keuchel