Michael Wacha will start this weekend for the St. Louis Cardinals
By Hayden Kane
Michael Wacha will play a key role for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2014 postseason. It might not look the same as the 2013 playoffs, but you better believe that Wacha is in the plans for St. Louis as they eye another run towards the World Series.
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Wacha paired with Adam Wainwright as another ace in the playoff rotation last year. Due to the micro-fracture in his shoulder that kept Wacha out for an extended period of time this season, however, he might serve a different role for the Cardinals this time around.
It all depends on how well he continues to ease back into things with less than a week left in the regular season. With that in mind, the Cardinals will send Wacha out for another start this weekend. According to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post Dispatch:
"The Cardinals intend to start Michael Wacha this weekend against Arizona as his final tuneup for an undefined role in the playoffs……With Wacha physically ready to throw more than 80 pitches in his next start, the Cardinals will shift Marco Gonzales to the bullpen in a more traditional relief role for the final trip of the regular season."
It should be interesting to see how well Wacha pitches and how he feels after that start. How the Cardinals use Wacha, and the uncertainty that will create for their opponents, will be a story worth watching in the playoffs.
Wacha is 5-6 with a 3.18 ERA in 18 starts this season for the Cardinals.
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