On Tuesday, the San Diego Padres added yet another valuable piece to their starting rotation, signing right-hander Michael Wacha to a four-year deal.
Wacha will reunite with his former St. Louis Cardinals teammate in Matt Carpenter and his former manager in third base coach Mike Shildt.
He’ll also join a rotation that already features Joe Musgrove, Yu Darvish, and Blake Snell.
The team’s rotation is now one of the elite starting staffs in all of baseball.
On MLB Network, insider Anthony Recker discussed the Padres’ latest signing and what it could mean for the team going forward as they look to unseat the Los Angeles Dodgers at the top of the NL West.
Michael Wacha adds depth to the @Padres rotation 💪@Anthony_Recker breaks down his arsenal.@RoFlo | #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/8dnulOPRfZ
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 15, 2023
Recker discussed how the Padres already had solid depth in their rotation, but that two of their pieces were question marks due to them not consistently starting and spending much of their time in the bullpen.
Both Nick Martinez and Seth Lugo have been used as swingmen over the past several years.
Recker talked about how Wacha joining the fold helps them solidify their rotation as one of the best in the league.
He then broke down Wacha’s arsenal, discussing his four-seam fastball and how if he can locate it well, decreased velocity over the years shouldn’t affect him too much.
His signature pitch is of course the changeup, which he made use of during his spectacular postseason run with the Cardinals in 2013.
Recker discussed Wacha’s changeup and referred to it as his “bread and butter.”
Wacha appears to have regained his 2013 form and should be a key piece for the Padres in 2023.
NEXT: Surprising Details Emerge On Michael Wacha's Contract With Padres
