How Much Did the Padres Pay Michael Wacha in Contract Incentives in 2023?

Most of the 2023 season was a disappointment for the San Diego Padres, as they saw their strong offseason be all for nothing. The team ended up missing the postseason after struggling to put any sort of consistency together until the final few weeks of the year.

However, one of the bright spots for San Diego this season was the performance of veteran pitcher Michael Wacha. Wacha signed with the Padres during the offseason and he put together a very solid season.

He put up an ERA of 3.22 and a record of 14-4 for the year. Wacha also added in 124 strikeouts over 134.1 innings of work this season.

It was a special year for the veteran, and he earned some of his contract incentives throughout the season. For making 20 starts, Wacha was paid an additional $500,000. He fell one start short of an extra $500k, in part due to him missing time with an injury this season.

Wacha totaled out at $8 million for the season, which looks like a steal after the year he put together. He was one of the more consistent pitchers for this Friars ball club, and he gave them a chance to win every time out.

He holds a $16 million club option for both next year and 2025, so the team will need to decide how to proceed with him. They may want to bring him back, especially given the fact that they could be losing some pieces in their rotation over the offseason.

Wacha seemed to really enjoy playing in San Diego, and he fit in well with the team. The hope is that he can return to give them some stability, but this is a business, and San Diego may not want to pay him double for next season.