Michael Wacha impressed on Thursday night, throwing just 69 pitches in five hitless innings—though some intrasquad creativity meant he actually faced 19 batters, most of whom were expected starters. He struck out four and walked zero, and the lone baserunner against him reaching on a Dom Smith error at first base.
Following the game, Luis Rojas highlighted the particular effectiveness of Wacha’s changeup, a pitch that has always been one of his more reliable offerings. If he can reestablish the fastball that he struggled with significantly in 2019, that one-two combination could go a long way in helping him look a lot more like the pitcher he was early in his career when he appeared primed to lead a stacked Cardinals rotation for the long term.