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How Red Sox should attack Michael Wacha in series finale vs Padres

By Tyler Duffy

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 15: Michael Wacha #52 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the sixth inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals at PETCO Park on May 15, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 15: Michael Wacha #52 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the sixth inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals at PETCO Park on May 15, 2023 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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Another familiar face will be on full display on Sunday as the Boston Red Sox will finish off their three game set on Sunday against Michael Wacha.

Wacha, who is coming off one of his best seasons of his career last season as a member of the Red Sox finished 2022 with an 11-2 record and a 3.32 ERA in 23 starts. Although he was only a member of the Red Sox for one season, Wacha provided a lot of hope and promise for a staff that dealt with an ample amount of injuries.

As Wacha gets ready for the showdown against his former team, he is backed up with numbers that represent the type of season he had a year ago, beginning the campaign 4-1 with a 4.06 ERA. Exemplified on a nightly basis, it is clear that taking down this Red Sox offense is a tough task.

Red Sox offense needs to attack Michael Wacha

The Red Sox currently have the second best offense in baseball after the Tampa Bay Rays, averaging 5.64 runs per game, good for third in the big leagues.

This is a team that has been relentless, and a big part of that is star third basemen Rafael Devers who has 13 home runs and 44 RBI… and it’s only May.

Masataka Yoshida has also been playing loose and extremely comfortable, finding his way as a big league hitter, along with Justin Turner who left Friday nights game with left knee soreness.

According to Baseball Savant, Michael Wacha has been throwing his fastball and changeup 31 percent of the time, giving room for just his cutter and sinker at 14.8 percent, and 13.3 percent. Both of those pitches account for 90 percent of his strikeouts in 2023, as he has 16 with the fastball, and 21 with the changeup.

The Red Sox love to attack early in the count, which means the first pitch fastball will be seeing a lot of action early on paired with the changeup from Wacha.

Next. Red Sox Rundown: Devers, Paxton get best of Padres to open series. dark

My points of emphasis: Attack Wacha early in the count and make him execute other pitches than his fastball and changeup. The Padres have averaged 2.67 runs in their last three games, so this Sox offense has a chance to exploit a weakness and make the day difficult for Wacha on Sunday.

First pitch of the series finale against the Padres is Sunday at 4:10 PM EST.

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