Michael Wacha is familiar with the postseason atmosphere of Fenway Park, and learned early on in his Major League Baseball career just how insane the crowd can get.
Wacha, who made his one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox official Saturday afternoon, was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013 when the two teams met in the World Series. The right-handed pitcher was just 22 years old at the time.
Wacha started Games 2 and 6 for the Cardinals and relived just how electric the crowd was, especially during Game 6 when the Red Sox went on to clinch the World Series title.
“It was bananas out there,” Wacha told reporters Saturday during his introductory press conference. “It was 30 or 40 thousand guys screaming at the top of their lungs and creating an atmosphere you love playing in.”
The 30-year-old also was a member of the American League East Tampa Bay Rays in 2021.
But it was more than just the atmosphere of the crowd that drew Wacha to Boston.
“Looking over there you could see how much fun they were having. You could see the chemistry and the vibe they had going and that was very attractive to me,” Wacha said. “After talking with Cora and Bushy (Dave Bush) it was almost a no brainier, these guys know what they’re doing and they really have their players’ backs.”
Wacha joins a tight-knit group and looks to add even more chemistry in 2022.
