The San Diego Padres’ hunt for a fifth starter took an unexpected turn Friday night, when right-hander Matt Waldron sustained a slight left oblique strain while warming up in the pen. The injury, initially reported by AJ Cassavell on X (previously Twitter), casts doubt on Waldron’s availability for the start of the regular season.
“Matt Waldron, who was scheduled to pitch tonight and began warming up in the bullpen, did not enter the game,” the writer noted. “Instead, he was checked on by a team trainer in the bullpen and simply returned to the complex with that trainer.
The Padres report that Waldron suffered a slight left oblique injury while warming up in the bullpen. He’ll be re-evaluated tomorrow.
Padres manager Mike Shildt said that Waldron’s injury would necessitate extra rest, putting his Opening Day status in risk. “Obliques take a while,” Shildt added. “We’ll reevaluate it, but he’s going to need some rest for some period of time, which will be determined.”
Matt Waldron will miss time for the Padres; who will be their fifth starter?
Waldron had been competing for the No. 5 rotation spot with Kyle Hart, Stephen Kolek, and Randy Vásquez. While his last appearance against the San Francisco Giants did not go as anticipated, the 27-year-old had shown potential this spring, especially as he relied more heavily on his distinctive knuckleball.
Last season, he had a 4.91 ERA in 26 starts, striking out 133 batters and walking only 40 in 146.2 innings.
With Waldron out, the competition for the last rotation place tightens. Vásquez bolstered his cause with five clean innings in a recent intrasquad game versus Mariners minor leaguers, a performance that might keep him in contention. Kolek and Hart are still in contention, though Hart’s spring has been cut short by a brush with the flu.
Hart, who dominated the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) last season with a 2.69 ERA and 182 strikeouts in 157 innings, was initially set to start Wednesday. However, his illness may force him into a bullpen role to begin the season.
According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Padres are impressed with Hart but want to see more before making a final choice. “Hart was at camp Monday, but he continues to recover from the flu and seems unlikely to pitch in his regular slot on Wednesday,” according to Acee.
Kolek, meanwhile, struggled in 2024 before an injury cut his season short, finishing with a 5.21 ERA in 46.2 innings. Vásquez started 20 games last season and had a 4.87 ERA in 98 innings, making him a viable option if the Padres want a more experienced pitcher.
The Padres’ starting rotation is one of their major questions heading into the 2025 season, and Waldron’s injury further adds to that uncertainty. With Opening Day coming, Shildt and his staff will need to make a choice quickly. It remains to be seen whether they turn to Vásquez, Kolek, or a healing Hart, but Waldron’s injury throws a wrench into the Padres’ pitching plans for the for being.
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