Set aside last season as the long reliever the Cardinals didn’t use until the final inning of their final game in the postseason, Michael Wacha is back in the rotation this fall, but not without some fine-tuning to do before his next appearance.
As the Cardinals return to the field Wednesday at Busch Stadium for the first official workout as a team since the end of the regular season, Wacha awaits his starting assignment while trying to use side work to find his starting rhythm.
Wacha has been beset with control concerns in his past five starts, walking 18 batters and allowing 45 baserunners in 24 innings this past month.