ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Former Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha will be back pitching in the state of Missouri for the first time in four years, but he will pitch for the other side of the state.
Wacha agreed to sign with the Kansas City Royals on a two-year deal worth $32 million. It also includes an opt out after the first season.
Wacha will join another former Cardinal in Chris Stratton, who signed with the Royals on Wednesday.
Since leaving the Cardinals in 2019, Wacha hasn't been able to find a long-term suitor, pitching for four different teams in the last four seasons.
However, Wacha has been one of the more underrated pitchers the last two seasons, pitching a solid 3.27 ERA in 261.2 combined innings, striking out 228 batters to walking 74 and allowing a total of 33 home runs.
Wacha's 3.27 ERA in the past two seasons have been better than the likes of Logan Gilbert, Jesus Luzardo, Jordan Montgomery and Spencer Strider among starters to have pitched at least 250 innings in the past two seasons, according to Fangraphs.
Wacha is the latest of a very active week by the Royals. Alongside signing him and Stratton, they also signed starters Seth Lugo, outfielder Hunter Renfroe, and left handed relief pitcher Will Smith. Over the past week, they signed all five players to a combined total of $65 million in free agent contracts this winter.
Wacha and Stratton won't be the only former Cardinals to move to the AL Central. Former Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty is also heading to the division, agreeing to a one-year deal with Royals' rival Detroit Tigers.
The free agent frenzy with the Royals comes at the same time as the organization is seeking a new stadium after the team announced last year they were planning to leave Kauffman Stadium. The team has narrowed the potential location down to two sites in the area.