St. Louis Cardinals: An unfortunate update on Michael Wacha

ST. LOUIS, MO - JUNE 3: Michael Wacha #52 of the St. Louis Cardinals leaves the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after allowing his first hit of the game in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium on June 3, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - JUNE 3: Michael Wacha #52 of the St. Louis Cardinals leaves the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates after allowing his first hit of the game in the ninth inning at Busch Stadium on June 3, 2018 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Michael Wacha has been making rehab starts in order to return to the St. Louis Cardinals. How has he been doing? When will he return?

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha was having a fantastic year before going to the DL. He was a vital part of the dominant Cardinals rotation, with a very solid 3.20 ERA and an 8-2 record. He even managed to take a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates before Colin Moran broke it up on a bloop single to right field.

His big season came to a halt when he was sent to the DL on June 20th with a left oblique strain and was expected to make his return shortly after the All-Star break. The injury lingered and it did not seem like he would be good to go for a while.

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He began his first rehab assignment on August 18th, but it did not go well at all for Wacha as he allowed three runs in less than an inning for the High-A Palm Beach Cardinals.

On August 24th, Wacha looked exceptional as he tossed 3.2 innings, allowing one hit and no runs. He struck out three hitters as well.

On Tuesday night, Michael Wacha made another rehab start, this time with the Double-A Springfield Cardinals. He allowed six hits and five runs in a 2.1 inning span, including a three-run home run by Seattle Mariners top prospect Kyle Lewis.

According to St. Louis Cardinals’ beat writer Jenifer Langosch, Wacha was pulled from the game due to fatigue/soreness related to his oblique injury. The St. Louis Cardinals medical staff will reevaluate him soon. There is no timetable on when Michael Wacha will return to the Majors at the moment.

Could Michael Wacha make a return before the postseason? Do you think he could be in the postseason rotation? Leave your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you for reading.

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