Michael Wacha signing with Padres
BOSTON -- The Red Sox' best starting pitcher from the 2022 season will be pitching elsewhere in 2023.
Veteran right-hander Michael Wacha is signing with the San Diego Padres, Ken Rosenthal reported on Tuesday morning.
Free-agent right-hander Michael Wacha in agreement with Padres, pending physical, sources tell @TheAthletic.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 14, 2023
Wacha, 31, went 11-2 with a 3.32 ERA in 23 starts for Boston last year. He recorded a shutout -- just the second of his career -- while posting his best WHIP (1.115) since his rookie season in 2013. Shoulder injuries limited him to just 127.1 innings, but he still recorded the second-most innings of any Red Sox pitcher last year, behind only Nick Pivetta's 179.2 innings.
Wacha joined the Red Sox last offseason on a one-year deal that paid him $7 million.
The Padres are clearly investing heavily in their team this offseason, signing Xander Bogaerts to a monster contract, signing Yu Darvish to a hefty deal, and also signing veteran DH Nelson Cruz. That's in addition, of course, to the team's acquisition of Juan Soto last year, which came a few years after the Padres entered the spending fray by signing Manny Machado to a long-term deal.
The Padres finished second in the NL West last season but made it to the NLCS, losing in five games to the Phillies.
With Wacha officially out of the fold, the Red Sox' rotation is expected to involve Chris Sale, Nick Pivetta, Corey Kluber, and Brayan Bello, with perhaps Tanner Houck and/or Garrett Whitlock moving to starting roles on a full-time basis.