As Michael Wacha continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury, he hit step two of his throwing program on Monday and apparently left a great impression on St. Louis Cardinals skipper Mike Matheny.
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"I was expecting less," Matheny told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "It just looked real effortless when the ball was coming out of his hand. He wasn't trying to hump up and do anything extraordinary. It looked good."
Matheny looked on as Wacha mixed fastballs and changeups in 35 pitches off the bullpen mound Monday as he continues to work his way back from a stress fracture in his right shoulder that has sidelined him for the last two months.
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Matheny said Wacha and the clubs' training staff are being more aggressive and ramping up the intensity in hopes that the pitcher will return to the team soon.
According to the report, Matheny plans on Wacha throwing a few more bullpen sessions this week before facing batters at the minor or major league levels.
It's been all good news for Wacha so far as he had another MRI and it didn't reveal any other issues.
"He's been amping up his work with no negative effects," Matheny said.
Wacha's progress on Monday came just two days after he told the publication he "felt great" on Saturday when he threw off a mound for the first time since suffering the injury in June.
"It felt good to get back out there on the mound," Wacha said. "Arm felt great. It was 30 pitches. Pretty light throws but I'm happy with it. It's always good to get a new milestone. It's one of those deals [that] whenever you're cleared to throw, it's a big day for you. Whenever you're cleared to get your first [bull]pen in, it's a big day. I know it's still a long road to go."
Wacha, 23, is 5-5 with a 2.79 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 83 strikeouts in 90.1 innings and 15 games this season. Wacha appeared in 15 games as a rookie in 2013 and went 4-1 with a 2.78 ERA, 1.098 WHIP and 65 strikeouts in 64.2 innings pitched.
Wacha was 4-1 last postseason with a 2.64 ERA and picked up NLCS MVP honors as the Cardinals went all the way to the World Series before losing to the Red Sox in a series in which Wacha struggled.
With Wacha and Jamie Garcia (shoulder) injured, the Cardinals traded for John Lackey and Justin Masterson prior to last month's non-waiver deadline to join a rotation that includes Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn and Shelby Miller.
The Cardinals (57-57) enter Tuesday 2.5 games behind the National League Central division-leading Milwaukee Brewers and own the top wild-card spot in the NL. Wacha's eventual return will be a huge boost in their chances of holding onto a playoff spot in the National League.
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