Cardinals announce NLDS rotation; Wacha to pitch out of bullpen
Michael Wacha made his mark in the playoffs last season as a rookie starter. The St. Louis Cardinals are hoping he can channel that experience into a relief role this year.
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny announced his club's rotation for the National League Division Series on Wednesday and, as expected, Adam Wainwright will get the ball opposite Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw in Game 1.
Lance Lynn, John Lackey and Shelby Milller will get the start for games 2, 3 and 4, respectively, with Wacha serving out of the bullpen.
| PITCHER | IP | SO | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Wainwright | 227 | 179 | 2.38 | 1.03 |
| Lance Lynn | 203.2 | 181 | 2.74 | 1.26 |
| John Lackey* | 198 | 164 | 3.82 | 1.28 |
| Shelby Miller | 183 | 127 | 3.74 | 1.27 |
| Michael Wacha | 107 | 94 | 3.20 | 1.20 |
*Lackey posted a 4.30 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 10 starts with the Cardinals after he was acquired from the Boston Red Sox.
Wacha struggled in his return to the rotation after missing nearly three months with a right shoulder stress fracture. The 23-year-old right-hander failed to pitch beyond the fifth inning in each of his four September starts, allowing 10 earned runs in 16 2/3 innings.
Although Wacha experienced an increase in fastball velocity of nearly two miles per hour after returning from the disabled list, his inability to get good results from his changeup limited his effectiveness.
Lackey, who earned the victory in Boston's title clinching win over the Cardinals in last year's World Series, gets the nod for the first game at Busch Stadium.
The Dodgers have yet to announce their rotation beyond Game 1.