The free agent market for starting pitchers is quite picked over after teams went on spending sprees in the month of December, leaving just Michael Wacha unsigned.
The 31-year-old enjoyed a solid bounce-back season with the Boston Red Sox.
Despite missing a few starts due to his ongoing shoulder issue, the veteran right-hander won 11 games and had a 3.32 ERA in 23 total starts.
While his former club, the St. Louis Cardinals, haven’t been terribly active in the starting pitcher’s market, there could be a fit there.
On Twitter, MLB writer Mark Saxon suggested that the Cardinals should try and reunite with their former star.
If I were the #STLCards, I’d be all over trying to re-sign Michael Wacha. He’s learned how to endure struggles and come out on the other end. He’s also learned how to throw more strikes.
— Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) January 29, 2023
Wacha came to the big leagues in 2013 with the Cards and helped guide them to their 19th National League pennant, earning NLCS MVP honors in the process.
The right-hander then began to endure shoulder troubles.
He earned an All-Star nod in 2015, but struggled to find consistency for the remainder of his St. Louis tenure.
After brief stops with the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays, the Red Sox took a flyer on him and saw him return to his 2013 form.
The Cardinals do have a clear need for some frontline starting pitching, especially after losing left-hander Jose Quintana, who signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Mets.
The signing of lefty Andrew Suarez helps St. Louis patch the hole, but a frontline starter would give them a better chance of advancing deeper into the postseason in the future.
The Cardinals also have four starters with expiring contracts at the end of the season.
NEXT: Red Sox Add A Key Piece To Their Bullpen
