The Mets are 'working hard' to finalize a one-year deal with free agent Michael Wacha, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed.
Wacha's deal will be worth $3 million guaranteed, with an additional $7 million in potential incentives, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Wacha, 28, had a 4.76 ERA (5.61 FIP) and 1.56 WHIP in 126.2 IP in 2019 for the Cardinals as he struggled with injuries and inconsistency.
In just 84.1 IP in 2018, Wacha had a 3.20 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 71 strikeouts.
Wacha burst on the scene with the Cardinals in 2013 and pitched very well during the first three years of his career, posting a 3.21 ERA and 1.18 WHIP from 2013 to 2015.
As Wacha has dealt with injuries over the last few seasons (including shoulder and knee issues in 2019), his stuff has remained steady, with his fastball, cutter, curve, and changeup all having about the same average velocity as they did in 2014.
Due to the above, Wacha is a solid bounceback candidate for 2020, but that is obviously far from a guarantee.
With Wacha on board, any rumors linking the Mets to Rick Porcello will likely end, as Wacha is expected to round out a rotation that will also include Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, and Steven Matz.
If Wacha fills out the Mets' rotation as expected, it also gives them the ability to keep both Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman in the bullpen. Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen had said numerous times this offseason that both Lugo and Gsellman were candidates to shift to the rotation and that they would prepare for that potential eventuality.