Wei-Chung Wang

WTM’s PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2012
INJURED

Wang spent 2012 recovering from the elbow surgery.

2013
R:  1-3-0, 3.23 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 47.1 IP, 0.8 BB/9, 8.0 K/9

Wang was the GCL Pirates’ top starter and had a good year; his peripherals were much better than his ERA.  He had a significant reverse platoon split.  His velocity early in the year was in the upper-80s, but by the end of the season he was pitching from 90-94.  After the season, though, Milwaukee selected Wang in the Rule 5 draft.

2014
R:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.27 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 7.4 K/9
A:  0-2-0, 3.29 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 13.2 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 6.6 K/9
A+:  1-0-0, 1.86 ERA, 0.72 WHIP, 9.2 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 8.4 K/9
MLB:  0-0-0, 10.90 ERA, 2.19 WHIP, 17.1 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 6.8 K/9

Wang spent 90 days with the Brewers, long enough to satisfy the Rule 5 requirements.  They then shut him down with shoulder tightness, although he spent some time on minor league rehab.  He obviously wasn’t ready for the majors, to nobody’s surprise.  In fact, he contributed to early-season bullpen woes that helped cost the Brewers a playoff spot, which was a fitting outcome.

2015
A+:  10-6-0, 3.54 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 139.2 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 5.9 K/9
AAA:  1-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 6.0 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 7.5 K/9

The Brewers sent Wang to high A, where he spent the season in the rotation.  He pitched decently but wasn’t overly impressive, considering the low-offense environment.  He again had a significant reverse platoon split.  In June, Milwaukee designated Wang for assignment and he wasn’t claimed off waivers.

2016
AA:  6-5-0, 3.52 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 107.1 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 7.6 K/9
AAA:  1-3-0, 4.85 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 26.0 IP, 0.7 BB/9, 8.0 K/9

Wang moved up to AA and continued his solid performance as a starter.  This time, he had a very large conventional platoon split.

2017
AAA:  6-2-1, 2.05 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 57.0 IP, 1.9 BB/9, 7.6 K/9
MLB:  0-0-0, 13.50 ERA, 3.76 WHIP, 1.1 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 13.5 K/9

The Brewers moved Wang to the bullpen in AAA and he was more successful pitching in relief.  He went back to having a substantial reverse platoon split.  Milwaukee called him up at the end of July.  The Brewers evidently didn’t look at his platoon splits, because they tried to use him as a lefty specialist.  In eight games, he recorded only four outs.  After the season, the Brewers released him.

2018
KOR:  7-10-0, 4.26 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 141.2 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 6.9 K/9

Wang caught on in Korea as a starter.

2019
AAA (Oak):  1-1-1, 4.78 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 26.1 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 8.2 K/9
MLB (OAK):  1-0-0, 3.33 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 27.0 IP, 3.7 BB/9, 5.3 K/9
MLB:  2-0-0, 6.75 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 6.8 BB/9, 4.5 K/9

Oakland signed Wang to a minor league deal and sent him to AAA.  He pitched better than the ERA indicates; the average ERA in the Pacific Coast League was nearly 6.00.  Oakland called him up in late May.  He put up a good ERA, but it was misleading.  His batting average on balls in play was an unsustainable .231 and he also benefited from a high strand rate of 84.5%.  His xFIP was 6.46.  He was much more effective against left-handed batters, holding them to an OPS of .521, compared to .844 by right-handed batters.  The A’s designated him for assignment in late August and the Pirates claimed him.  Wang got into only five games with the Pirates, throwing four mostly ineffective innings.  He didn’t pitch after mid-September due to an injury.

There isn’t really much in Wang’s track record to suggest that he’ll be especially effective going forward, but GM Neal Huntington was remarkably unsuccessful at addressing the Pirates’ bullpen problems and the only real criterion the Pirates seemed to apply is cheapness.  Wang still has an option left, but the Pirates outrighted him to AAA after the season.