San Francisco Giants: Five under-the-radar starting pitching targets

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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 20: Michael Wacha #52 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches in the second inning during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on September 20, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images) /

RHP Michael Wacha

Michael Wacha is a familiar name for San Francisco Giants fans.

He was the man who gave up Travis Ishikawa‘s legendary walk-off home run in the 2014 NLCS that sent the Giants to the World Series. It was one of the most memorable moments in franchise history, and Wacha would no doubt be welcomed with open arms for that generous 2-0 fastball down the middle.

In all seriousness, Wacha has proven to be a serviceable starter for most of his MLB career.

At his peak back in 2015, he was one of the best pitchers in the National League, going 17-7 with a 3.38 ERA in a career-high 181.1 innings while earning an All-Star nod.

While he struggled to a 4.76 ERA in 2019 and eventually found himself in the bullpen, he was still a solid option for the St. Louis Cardinals as recently as 2018 when he posted a 3.20 ERA in an abridged season that saw him make 15 starts and work 84.1 innings.

If the San Francisco Giants believe he is capable of rekindling that past success with a move to Oracle Park, he could prove to be a great under-the-radar addition.

He may not have the best of memories there, but time heals all wounds, right?