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Blue Jays cut knuckleball pitcher in roster shakeup
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- Blue Jays cut knuckleball pitcher in roster shakeup
The Matt Waldron era in Toronto is over.
The Blue Jays designated Waldron for assignment on Wednesday, Aug. 19. It's the second time MLB 's only active knuckleballer has been DFA'd in the last month.
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Waldron had a 10.38 ERA in four games (4.1 innings, 5 earned runs) since he was claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres on Aug. 5 .
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In a corresponding roster move, the Blue Jays selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Brendan Cellucci.
Cellucci, 28, has yet to debut since he was selected in the 12th round of the 2019 MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox .
In his first season in the Blue Jays organization, the left-hander was 6-2 with a 3.89 ERA in 39 games for Triple-A Buffalo. He had 44 strikeouts in 44 innings for the Blue Jays' top farm team.
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Waldron, 29, was designated for assignment by the Padres when they reinstated right-handed pitcher Jeremiah Estrada off the injured list.
In 2024, Waldron was a key member of San Diego 's starting rotation. He used his patented knuckleball to post a 4.91 ERA across 27 appearances (26 starts), covering 146.2 innings for the 93-win Padres team.
But Waldron could not repeat his success in 2025. He spent a majority of the 2025 season in Triple-A, making just one big league appearance. He began the 2026 season on the injured list following hemorrhoid surgery.
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Waldron returned, only to post an 8.49 ERA before a right brachialis injury sent him back to the injured list. He made four appearances out of the Padres' bullpen after returning from that IL stint, compiling a 3.86 ERA over 9.1 innings before he was designated for assignment.
In parts of four big league seasons, Waldron is 9-17 with a 5.29 ERA in 50 games (36 starts). If he joins another organization before Sept. 1 he will be eligible to pitch for them in the postseason.
More to come on this story.
