Sox signing Wacha

[jacksonianmarch]

1 year deal. Details to follow

[Bellhorn04]

A move that is sure to be more condemned than praised here!

[harmony]

The Red Sox front office undoubtedly has more and better information on Michael Wacha than the casual baseball fan who would never sign a starting pitcher who since the start of the 2019 season has an ERA of 5.11 and an ERA+ of 80 in 285.1 innings (66 appearances, 54 starts).

[jacksonianmarch]

It’s a Bloom move. Wacha has seen his average fastball tick up by close to 1mph over the past three seasons and his 21 xFIP was almost identical to his xFIPs from his highest war seasons in StL. Wacha’s issues have been the homer and that only magnified in 21. Maybe Bloom envisions him throwing a sinker?

[a700hitter]

A move that is sure to be more condemned than praised here!

What a joke of a move. This is weaker than Martin Perez or Garrett Richards.

[moonslav59]

What a joke of a move. This is weaker than Martin Perez or Garrett Richards.

 

I do t disagree, but he might have higher upside at this point in time.

 

I doubt this is someone Bloom is counting on to fill ERod’s shoes- maybe Perez.

[mvp 78]

Passan:

 

Right-hander Michael Wacha and the Boston Red Sox are finalizing a one-year contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Wacha, 30, was solid in a starting role for Tampa Bay last season and is expected to bring depth to the Red Sox’s rotation. Deal is pending a physical.

[mvp 78]

What a joke of a move. This is weaker than Martin Perez or Garrett Richards.

 

No lie found.

[harmony]

Passan:

 

Right-hander Michael Wacha and the Boston Red Sox are finalizing a one-year contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Wacha, 30, was solid in a starting role for Tampa Bay last season and is expected to bring depth to the Red Sox’s rotation. Deal is pending a physical.

It was a small sample but in two starts against the Seattle Mariners last season Michael Wacha surrendered 20 hits and 11 earned runs in 7.2 innings:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=wachami01&year=2021&t=p#all_oppon_extra

[Old Red]

It was a small sample but in two starts against the Seattle Mariners last season Michael Wacha surrendered 20 hits and 11 earned runs in 7.2 innings:

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=wachami01&year=2021&t=p#all_oppon_extra

 

Hopefully he doesn’t pass his physical.

[Swiharts Ghost]

Hopefully he doesn’t pass his physical.

 

Bloom just dumpster diving like he always does .chaim Bloom has an open checkbook and clipping coupons for a billionaire. Bloom showing year over year he’s better served in Oakland .

Edited November 27, 2021 by Swiharts Ghost

[Larry Cook]

Someone in the baseball analytics department needs to be held accountable for this travesty of justice.

[bkzwhitestrican]

I guess they had to settle for Wacha after missing out on Heaney.

[notin]

So… same commentary as last off-season when Bloom went after Perez and Richards? And again after the deadline when all the pitching help we got was Robles and Davis? And how did all those tragic acquisitions turn out?

 

Only with a trip to the ALCS?

 

So at any point do we maybe at least think Bloom might know what he’s doing?

[moonslav59]

Let’s not act like this will be Bloom’s centrepiece move.

 

If it is, I’ll be joining the bash brigade.

[notin]

A move that is sure to be more condemned than praised here!

 

 

Like every move Bloom has made so far?

[Bellhorn04]

Like every move Bloom has made so far?

 

Well, to be fair, some of his moves were greeted with more like indifference.

[oldtimer]

Let’s not act like this will be Bloom’s centrepiece move.

 

If it is, I’ll be joining the bash brigade.

 

As a depth addition to our starting rotation it probably makes sense. As you say, we need more of a front line starter added to the team as well.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

Wacha has a postseason pedigree -- as a rookie he won four in a row with a 1.00 ERA... Joe Buck and FOX made him a household name with Yankee-love features and ads... and he's already a hero at Fenway Park, where he lost the final game of the 2013 World Series. In his final game in Tampa in this year's ALDS, with the Rays trailing by two runs, he only let the Red Sox score six more on nine hits in 2.2 IP.

 

Wacha is 30 years old, so plenty of prime left. And the underrated aspect he brings to Boston is The Book on all the Rays' hitters that only an alert teammate discerns over time. The Sox' analytics department may be pouring over this very data as we post...

Edited November 27, 2021 by 5GoldGloves:OF,75

[Bellhorn04]

Still no word on the dollars. Guesses? Hopefully not much more than 3-4 mill.

[moonslav59]

Still no word on the dollars. Guesses? Hopefully not much more than 3-4 mill.

 

I would think 4 or 5 max but 3 would be nicer.

[Bellhorn04]

I would think 4 or 5 max but 3 would be nicer.

 

I'll guess 4.5 mill.

[jacksonianmarch]

Heaney got $7 mil. I think you’ll see somewhere in that ballpark. Starters get overpaid

[Bellhorn04]

Wacha finished strongly in the regular season. Last 8 games 3.20 ERA, .565 OPSa.

 

In Bloom I trust.

[Bellhorn04]

Heaney got $7 mil. I think you’ll see somewhere in that ballpark. Starters get overpaid

 

Fair point Jax.

[moonslav59]

"The deal is a one-year contract reportedly worth $7MM, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). That would be a raise for Wacha, who signed last offseason with the Rays for a $3MM guarantee."

 

-MLBTR

 

Kinda like Perez got.

 

[a700hitter]

Wacha is an overpay at just about any price.

[Bellhorn04]

"The deal is a one-year contract reportedly worth $7MM, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). That would be a raise for Wacha, who signed last offseason with the Rays for a $3MM guarantee."

 

-MLBTR

 

Kinda like Perez got.

 

 

Yep. He's your 2022 Perez. Addition by subtraction followed by subtraction by addition?

 

Oh well, at least there'll be no Sticky Stuff Surprises in 2022.

[Hugh2]

I must say, when I heard the news of this signing I thought I just had to head over to the talksox forum to read all the negative nancies. Ya’ll deliver….without failure.

 

I’ll admit this isn’t the sexiest move, but I trust Bloom knows more than we do. Wacha had a strong finish to a bad year, perhaps bloom sees something fixable. Regardless, this is a great depth move. Bloom took this team from awful to Championship contenders because he understands how good the 26th man on your roster is is very important.

 

As fans, we obsess over the top of a roster but guys who know what they’re doing like bloom are thinking about all 40 men.

 

Also, let’s remember that the Sox are not done, I suspect they’ll pick up another starter and a few relievers too.

[Hugh2]

Actually, the Sox reluctance to protect a full 40 men from the rule 5 is direct evidence that they plan on adding more free agents.