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Blue Jays lose 4-year MLB veteran on waiver claim
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- Blue Jays lose 4-year MLB veteran on waiver claim
The Toronto Blue Jays announced that the Washington Nationals claimed pitcher Matt Waldron , who had been designated for assignment only three days earlier, on Saturday, Aug. 22.
MLB 's only active knuckleballer had a 10.38 ERA in four games with Toronto (4.1 innings, 5 earned runs) after he was claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres on Aug. 5 .
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Waldron, 29, spent the last three seasons in the San Diego Padres' organization after making his big-league debut with the Padres in 2023. The Nationals will be his third team in 2026 alone.
MORE: Blue Jays cut knuckleball pitcher in roster shakeup
Waldron, 29, was designated for assignment by the Padres
when they reinstated right-handed pitcher Jeremiah Estrada
off the injured list earlier this year.
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 last 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.
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Waldron will be unlikely fit on the Nationals, who are in the midst of a youth movement. Baseball's youngest lineup is led by 34-year-old manager Blake Butera. Pitcher Miles Mikolas, 37, was recently designated for assignment .
Relative to his teammates, Waldron is a senior citizen. But he might be able to fill the gap while three younger pitchers — Connelly Early , Josiah Gray and DJ Herz — complete their injury rehabilitations.
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