As they enter into their offseason, the Padres have some big decisions to make on a few players that could be free agents. One of those is starting pitcher Michael Wacha, who was great for the Friars this season. In 24 games for San Diego this season, Wacha put up an ERA of 3.22 and a WHIP of 1.16. He also struck out 124 batters over 134.1 innings of work.
He holds an option for next season at $16 million, and the status of his return is up in the air. However, one writer believes that both Wacha and the Padres will end up declining the option.
“There are some durability concerns with Wacha. He logged 134.1 innings this season which A) isn't many for a starting pitcher, but B) is the most he has pitched in a season since 2017. It's why it took until mid-February 2023 for him to sign his current, multiple-options, games-started-escalators contract, and why his next deal will probably have some vesting options. Verdict: Both sides decline their options”
Wacha can likely earn more money elsewhere after the year that he put together, and he could likely get a multi-year deal. He was great for the Padres when healthy, and he gave them a chance to win each night out.
While San Diego would love to have him back in the mix for next year, it seems unlikely at this point. But Wacha has acknowledged that he enjoyed his time with the Padres and that he thinks they will be scary next season.
Money is an important factor, but it isn’t everything for all players. Maybe Wacha is one of those, and especially at this point in his career, he may value the comfort of playing somewhere. This would benefit the Padres, and maybe the two sides could work out a deal.
His future with the Friars is up in the air for now, but it will be one of the more interesting parts of the Padres offseason. It could see them move on from multiple players like Wacha as they search for a team to get them back to the playoffs next year.
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