Padres Surprisingly Option Their Most-Used Starting Pitcher to Triple-A

J.P. Hoornstra | Aug 22, 2024

Jul 6, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt (8) takes the ball from starting pitcher Matt Waldron (61) during a pitching change in the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports / Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

It's rare for a team in the middle of playoff contention to option their most-used starting pitcher to the minor leagues.

The Padres did exactly that on Thursday, demoting right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron to Triple-A El Paso prior to their game against the New York Mets.

Waldron, 27, was 7-11 with a 4.79 ERA this season.

The Padres optioned Matt Waldron to Triple-A El Paso.

— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) August 23, 2024

The move comes after a rough stretch of starts that saw Waldron's ERA rise by more than a run over the last two months, from a season-low 3.43 on June 24.

In his last 10 starts, Waldron is 2-5 with a 7.09 ERA (5.32 FIP), with 12 home runs allowed. The knuckleballer suffered his worst start of the season Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins. He allowed 12 hits and 10 runs in 4.1 innings in the Padres' 11-4 loss.

Waldron's 26 starts are tied for the team lead. His 142.2 innings are second only to Dylan Cease, who starts Thursday against the Mets.

The Padres (72-56) began the day in second place in the National League West with 96.5 percent odds of reaching the postseason, according to Baseball Reference. They're tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the top Wild Card spot in the NL.

For his part, Waldron advocated to remain in the big leagues after his latest setback.

"I believe I belong on this field," Waldron told reporters after Wednesday's game. "Obviously, that doesn't show right now, especially on a day like this. Physically, I think I'm capable of getting there. ... I got to go to the drawing board. It's going to take some serious work."

Even before the move became official Thursday, Padres manager Mike Shildt was speaking about Waldron's prowess in the past tense.

“He has been really fantastic,” Shildt said after Wednesday's game. “I mean, he  was a big (lift) for us when Joe (Musgrove) and Yu (Darvish) went down. He really stepped up and (provided) a lot of quality innings. Gave us a lot of ballgames where he won, gave us a chance to win.”

For now, Waldron will head to El Paso and try to work his way back to the major leagues.

Right-hander Logan Gillaspie was recalled in a corresponding move. He's 0-0 with a 3.24 ERA in seven games out of the bullpen for the Padres this season.