The best remaining free agent starting pitcher has officially come off the board.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the San Diego Padres are in agreement with veteran right-hander Michael Wacha on a contract.
The terms of the deal have not yet been released.
Wacha, who will be turning 32 in July, enjoyed a bounce-back season with the Boston Red Sox in 2022, winning 11 games and posting a 3.32 ERA in 23 starts.
He’ll join a rotation that already includes Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, and Joe Musgrove.
On Twitter, Joel Sherman of the New York Post confirmed Rosenthal’s report of the Padres’ most recent signing.
The Padres are in agreement with starter Michael Wacha as @Ken_Rosenthal 1st reported.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) February 14, 2023
Wacha began his career in 2013 with the St. Louis Cardinals.
He was the team’s compensation draft pick after Albert Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels.
He helped guide St. Louis to the World Series, earning NLCS MVP honors along the way.
He also earned his only All-Star nod in 2015.
Injuries derailed his time in St. Louis, however, and he didn’t find much success in brief stops with the New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays.
However, the Red Sox were seemingly able to fix him and turn him into a top-of-the-rotation arm last season.
The veteran righty still struggled with a lingering shoulder issue, but was solid when healthy.
San Diego has been very busy this winter.
Recently, they signed Darvish to a six-year, $108 million extension last week.
They also signed Xander Bogaerts, Nelson Cruz, and Matt Carpenter, who was Wacha’s teammate during his time in St. Louis.
He’ll also reunite with his former manager in Mike Shildt, who currently serves as San Diego’s third-base coach.
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