The San Diego Padres have strengthened their starting rotation with the addition of veteran right-hander Michael Wacha.
The two sides have agreed upon a deal and Wacha is set to join Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, and Joe Musgrove in a stacked San Diego rotation.
The Padres also have options such as Seth Lugo and Nick Martinez to fill the fifth spot in the rotation.
This morning, Jon Morosi stopped by MLB Network’s Hot Stove show to discuss how the move for Wacha can help the Padres and what it means for the team and its rotation as the 2023 season approaches.
Where does this Padres rotation rank in the NL following the reported addition of Michael Wacha?@jonmorosi breaks down a potential 6-man starting unit in San Diego and the benefits it can have for maintaining a healthy pitching staff. pic.twitter.com/xf3H9p97v7
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 15, 2023
Wacha won 11 games in 23 starts last season with the Boston Red Sox, posting a 3.32 ERA.
Morosi discussed the depth of the Padres rotation and how adding Wacha to the mix helps strengthen that depth.
He discussed options such as Martinez and Lugo as potential starters.
Both have primarily served as relievers but have been used as starters in recent years.
The move for Wacha gives the Padres six established pitchers to fill out their rotation.
Morosi also talked about how the addition of Wacha helps take some pressure off of the top three starters and cover some innings.
The team recently gave Darvish a six-year, $108 million contract extension.
However, Darvish is 36.
But by adding Wacha, the Padres can go with a six-man rotation to give other starters such as Darvish some extra rest.
Morosi closed his statement by saying that the Padres now have an advantage over their NL West rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the 2023 season draws nearer.
