The San Diego Padres went into the offseason with limited depth in the starting rotation. Now that the team has signed several pitchers, this one in particular is fighting for his job.
It took until the start of spring training, but the San Diego Padres have a plethora of depth options for the starting rotation after signing two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion Walker Buehler to a minor-league deal.
There are several pitchers who are now vying for a spot in the Padres' rotation with a lot to prove in spring training. Buehler joins left-handers JP Sears and Marco Gonzales as well as right-handers Triston McKenzie, Germán Márquez and Matt Waldron as competitors for the coveted fifth spot.
Perhaps the pitcher with the most to prove this spring is Waldron, the knuckleballer who made just one start in 2025 due to an oblique strain suffered during spring training. That start didn’t go well, as Waldron surrendered four runs on six hits and six walks through 4.2 innings in a loss against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Waldron was a mainstay in San Diego’s rotation two seasons ago, when he made 26 starts (27 appearances) and pitched to a 4.91 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over 146.2 innings. He posted a 21.3 strikeout percentage, striking out 133 batters.
MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell believes Waldron does have the most to prove in spring training with his job on the line.
“The race for spots at the back of the Padres' rotation is wide open,” Cassavell wrote Tuesday. “But Waldron will need to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season and is out of options, meaning he’d be exposed to waivers if he doesn’t make the team. Waldron isn’t a traditional knuckleballer who throws the pitch almost exclusively.
“He’s struggled to balance his knuckleball/fastball/slider mix. When he does, he’s proven he can be effective in the big leagues. But it’s been a while since he has, and Waldron may be running out of time in San Diego.”
When Waldron’s knuckleball is “on,” it’s one of the hardest pitches to track and hit in the sport. His knuckleball is thrown much harder than the typical knuckleball which makes it harder for batters to adjust to, but if he doesn’t have a feel for the pitch, it becomes dangerous to throw.
If the feel and command are off, it leads to walks and missed spots which ultimately get hit hard. Spring training is a massive opportunity for Waldron to show he belongs on the roster and in the rotation; if it doesn’t go well, he could be looking for a new team heading into the regular season.