The San Diego Padres’ search for their fifth starter took an unexpected turn Friday night when right-hander Matt Waldron suffered a mild left oblique strain while warming up in the bullpen. The injury, first reported by AJ Cassavell on X, formerly Twitter, has cast 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,” Cassavell wrote. “Instead, he was checked on by a team trainer in the bullpen, and just retreated to the complex alongside that trainer. Waldron suffered a mild left oblique strain while warming up in the bullpen, the Padres say. He will be re-evaluated tomorrow.”
Padres manager Mike Shildt confirmed that Waldron’s injury would require some time off, putting his Opening Day status in jeopardy. “Obliques take a while,” Shildt said. “We’ll reevaluate it, but he’s going to need some rest for some period of time, which will be determined.”
Matt Waldron to miss time for the Padres, so who will be their fifth starter?
Waldron had been competing for the No. 5 rotation spot alongside Kyle Hart, Stephen Kolek, and Randy Vásquez. While his last outing against the San Francisco Giants didn’t go as planned, the 27-year-old had otherwise shown promise this spring, particularly as he leaned more heavily into his signature knuckleball. Last season, he posted a 4.91 ERA across 26 starts, striking out 133 batters while walking just 40 in 146.2 innings.
With Waldron sidelined, the battle for the final rotation spot narrows. Vásquez strengthened his case with five scoreless innings in a recent intrasquad game against Mariners minor leaguers, an outing that could keep him in the race. Kolek and Hart remain in the mix as well, though Hart’s spring has been interrupted by a bout with the flu.
Hart, who dominated in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) last season with a 2.69 ERA and 182 strikeouts across 157 innings, was originally scheduled to start Wednesday. However, his illness may push him toward a bullpen role to start the season. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune’s Kevin Acee, the Padres have been impressed with Hart but need to see more before making a final decision. “Hart was at camp Monday, but he continues to recover from the flu and seems unlikely to pitch in his regular slot on Wednesday,” Acee reported.
Kolek, meanwhile, struggled in 2024 before an injury cut his season short, finishing with a 5.21 ERA over 46.2 innings. Vásquez started 20 games last season, posting a 4.87 ERA over 98 innings, making him a viable candidate if the Padres opt for a more seasoned option.
The Padres’ starting rotation is one of their biggest question marks entering the 2025 season, and Waldron’s injury only adds to the uncertainty. With Opening Day fast approaching, Shildt and his staff will need to make a decision soon. Whether they turn to Vásquez, Kolek, or a recovering Hart remains to be seen, but for now, Waldron’s setback creates an unexpected twist in the Padres’ pitching plans.
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