It’s also possible they weren’t wild about something about Wacha. His HR/9 was 1.3 last year, which, while the best it’s been since 2018, isn’t a dazzling rate. It’s down to 0.8 this year, which of a no part of why his FIP and fWAR are improving. Maybe they weren’t wild about that?
Eovaldi and Pivetta had higher HR/9. But then Eovaldi wasn’t retained and Pivetta was still under control but is pushing himself into non-tender territory this year…