Wacha Flirts with No-Hitter, Bubic Shines Despite Loss, Royals Eye Caglianone
ICARO Media Group
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In a gripping display of pitching prowess, Michael Wacha came tantalizingly close to a no-hitter on Saturday. "I definitely tried not to think too much about it," Wacha confessed. "Obviously, I knew what was going on. I just continued to try to take it to another level, keep making my pitches and keep executing like I had been pretty much all day." His performance exhibited masterful pitching, earning praise from Tigers manager AJ Hinch. "The art of pitching was on display," Hinch remarked. "He disrupts timing. He moves the ball around."
Wacha’s changeup was especially effective, as evidenced by the Tigers whiffing on it six times out of 19 swings. "It was dancing for me there for the most part today," Wacha said with satisfaction. His ability to throw all his pitches for strikes left the Tigers mostly making soft contact. Reflecting on Wacha's performance, Quatraro remarked, "It was close to the best outing I've ever seen him have."
On Sunday, Kris Bubic delivered an outstanding performance, though he didn't secure the win. "I didn't throw that 1-2 heater to McKinstry with a lot of conviction," Bubic admitted. "I wasn't zoning the four-seam (fastball) well early in the game. I'll be honest, that wasn't my best heater. He took advantage of it and I overcooked the sweeper there in the dirt to let him score." Despite this, Bubic tied his career-high with nine strikeouts. Boasting a major-league best 1.43 ERA through 12 starts, Bubic continued to impress. "He's closing games for a reason in the big leagues," Quatraro noted. "You know, he has a full arsenal of pitches to get people out."
The Royals may soon bolster their roster with the potential promotion of Jac Caglianone. Dan Szmborski of Fangraphs highlighted Caglianone's impressive development. From a projection standpoint, Caglianone has made a significant leap, with a projected wRC+ increasing from 72 to 96 due to his enhanced professional experience. With notable achievements including 14 homers and a .593 slugging percentage, ZiPS now projects him to hit .263/.335/.459 at the major league level, corresponding to a 120 OPS+ and a wRC+ of 118. While he might not immediately reach the heights of a Yordan Alvarez, his inclusion could provide a much-needed boost for the Royals.
Reflecting on the passionate support of the city's fans, Moustakas shared, "Every pitch, every moment, they were in it with us." This supportive atmosphere certainly resonates as the team aims to capitalize on emerging talents.