St. Louis Cardinals: Five Players Feeling the Pressure in 2017

No. 3 – Michael Wacha – Starting Pitcher

The St. Louis Cardinals thought that they had an elite level pitcher in Michael Wacha at one point in time. In 2013, his rookie season, Wacha put on one of the best performances ever seen by a pitcher in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He followed it up with a strong but injury-shortened 2014 season and bounced back in 2015.

In 2015, Wacha was an All-Star and was 17-7 in 30 starts posting a 3.38 ERA. He clearly looked like a top of the rotation starter that was dependable and clutch. However, in 2016, it became known that Wacha was suffering from a shoulder injury that seemed to be related back to his 2014 injuries. Ultimately, he was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his shoulder that was reoccurring.

Because of this, Wacha’s 2016 season was one Cardinals fans hope to soon forget. He posted a 5.09 ERA in 24 starts and was unable to pitch more than 138 innings. The main concern with Wacha is the health of his shoulder since it is his throwing arm and it has had a drastic effect on his control.

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The issue with the stress reaction in his shoulder is that there isn’t really a cure for it. Brandon McCarthy, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has been the model the Cardinals look to in hoping to find a fix. McCarthy has had four straight seasons of stress reactions in his shoulder with no resolution. Last season, Wacha attempted to pitch through it and change his mechanics to take more stress off his shoulder but the injury remained and the results suffered.

There is certainly a lot of pressure on Michael Wacha heading into the 2017 season. Because of his injury, it is unknown if Wacha can even remain a starting pitcher. His status is somewhat up in the air at the moment until the Cardinals get a better grasp of where he and his shoulder are at. If he does need to move to the bullpen, it will redefine his career in hopes that his shoulder can still maintain that workload.

The St. Louis Cardinals surely hope that they can partner with Wacha to find some type of solution. Wacha was one of the brightest spots on the rotation but has found himself watching more than playing. For the sake of his career and for the sake of the Cardinals, his return to form will be paramount.