The Detroit Tigers are going after pitching as their number top priority, which makes sense having the bats in place and the prospects on the rise to make it to the big leagues either this coming season or the season after; they do also have arms who may be ready to make the jump, but in a weak American League Central the Tigers are looking to win the division in 2024 and return to the postseason so they want an experienced arm. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com made a list of his best-fit free agents for each team. He said Michael Wacha was the best fit for the Tigers, which does fit precisely what they are looking for to add to their rotation, as the Tigers are not expected to be in the hunt for any of the available big-name arms.
Michael Wacha By The Numbers
Wacha was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals with the 19th overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft and made his debut on May 30, 2013, when he started against the Kansas City Royals, going seven innings and giving up one run on two hits; he didn’t walk anyone and struck out six. He spent seven seasons with the Cardinals, going 59-39 in 165 appearances, with 151 of those being starts; he had a 3.91 ERA, a 3.96 FIP, a 1.32 WHIP, a 1.0 HR/9, a 3.1 BB/9, and a 7.9 K/9. In 2019, he signed with the New York Mets, where he spent one season appearing in eight games, with seven of those being starts going 1-4 with a 6.62 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 34 innings of work in a shortened season. In 2020, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rays for the 2021 season, where he appeared in 29 games, with 23 of those being starts, going 3-5 with a 5.05 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 124.2 innings of work. He signed with the Boston Red Sox for the 2022 season and was back to his old form, making 23 starts and going 11-2 with 104 strikeouts in 127.1 innings of work. This past season, he signed with the San Diego Padres; going 14-4 in 24 starts with a 3.22 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 134.1 innings of work. In his career in the postseason he has appeared in eight games with six of those being starts going 4-3 with a 5.21 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP, a 1.9 HR/9, a 3.8 BB/9, and a 9.9 K/9. Against the American League Central, he has made 25 starts in his career, going 12-3 with a 3.24 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, a 1.7 BB/9, and an 8.0 K/9.
