Over their last few games, the Red Sox have started to find their rhythm. The offense is firing on all cylinders, and they have gotten solid pitching from Nathan Eovaldi and Tanner Houck. One starter who has stood out is veteran Michael Wacha. The former Ray has only made two starts for Boston, but he is already making an impact. On Sunday afternoon, his potential was on full display in his first home start of the season.
In five innings of work against Minnesota, Wacha held the Twins scoreless while striking out five batters. He didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning and gave Boston’s offense time to come alive. Unlike his first start of the season, Wacha was able to avoid trouble and delivered a gem. Through two starts this season, he has a 0.91 ERA. The Texas A&M product has also struck out nine batters and only allowed three hits. In a rotation without Chris Sale and James Paxton for the foreseeable future, Wacha has been nearly unhittable. His impressive start has not gone unnoticed by Alex Cora.
“[Wacha] came out with an aggressive tempo. He faced [Minnesota] in Fort Myers. And they were very aggressive early, but spring training is spring training. During the season, you’re going to pitch to the scouting report, and we’re going to make adjustments and he was really good. “
Scoreless Easter Sunday🥚@MichaelWacha vs Minnesota
5.0 IP | 1 H | 0 R | 2 BB | 5 K📹 @MLB | #GigEm pic.twitter.com/spo8u33DEa
— Texas A&M Baseball (@AggieBaseball) April 18, 2022
Wacha is making a good first impression
While the Red Sox season is only ten games old, Wacha is stepping up. He has held opponents to a .103 batting average and not allowed a home run. After ending the 2021 campaign on a high note with the Rays, that success has transferred to Boston. Dating back to 2021, Wacha has a 0.47 ERA in his last four regular-season starts while allowing one earned run. That continued success will be key for the Red Sox rotation.
Additionally, Wacha has flashed his 2015 form without being at full strength. He has not been afraid of attacking the strike zone or using his off-speed pitches. In his start on Sunday, Wacha threw 12 of his 24 changeups for strikes and kept the Twins off balance. Despite a shorter spring training, the former first-round pick is making a good first impression. If he can build on his recent outings, then the Red Sox rotation will get a much-needed boost.
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Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
