Matthew Lawrence Waldron (born September 26, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Waldron attended Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska, where he played on their baseball team and went 9âÂÂ0 with a 1.29 ERA, 82 strikeouts, and seven walks over 65 innings as a senior in 2015. He threw a no-hitter in the Class A Baseball State Championship, helping lead Westside to their third straight title. He went unselected in the 2015 Major League Baseball draft, and enrolled at the University of Nebraska where he played college baseball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers for four years. As a senior in 2019, he made 14 starts and went 6âÂÂ4 with a 3.05 ERA and 93 strikeouts over innings.
Following the season's end, he was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 18th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.
Waldron signed with the Indians and made his professional debut with the rookieâÂÂlevel Arizona League Indians before he was promoted to the LowâÂÂA Mahoning Valley Scrappers. Over innings between the two teams, he went 4âÂÂ0 with a 2.96 ERA. He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On August 31, 2020, the Indians traded Waldron, Mike Clevinger, and Greg Allen to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Austin Hedges, Josh Naylor, Cal Quantrill, Gabriel Arias, Owen Miller, and Joey Cantillo. Prior to the 2021 season, Waldron began throwing knuckleballs. He opened the 2021 season with the HighâÂÂA Fort Wayne TinCaps and was promoted to the DoubleâÂÂA San Antonio Missions in July. He finished the season starting twenty games going 3âÂÂ8 with a 4.25 ERA and 103 strikeouts over innings.
Waldron returned to San Antonio to begin 2022 and was promoted to the TripleâÂÂA El Paso Chihuahuas in late June. Over 25 starts between the two teams, he went 5âÂÂ10 with a 6.26 ERA and 96 strikeouts over innings. To open the 2023 season, he was assigned to El Paso. In 14 games (12 starts), Waldron struggled to a 1âÂÂ6 record and 7.02 ERA with 75 strikeouts in innings pitched.
On June 23, 2023, the Padres announced they would be promoting Waldron to make his major league debut the next day as the team's starting pitcher. He made his debut at Petco Park against the Washington Nationals. Waldron pitched innings, allowing four hits and two runs (both earned), while striking out two Nationals batters in a 2âÂÂ0 loss. He was the first pitcher to throw a knuckleball in a major league game since Baltimore Oriolesâ pitcher Mickey Jannis in June 2021. He was optioned back to El Paso the next day. Waldron was recalled to the majors several times throughout the remainder of the 2023 season, making eight appearances (six starts) going 1âÂÂ3 with a 4.35 ERA and 31 strikeouts over innings.
Waldron opened and spent much of the 2024 season as a member of San Diego's starting rotation. On August 22, 2024, he was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. Waldron appeared in 27 games (26 starts) for the Padres and went 7-11 with a 4.91 ERA and 133 strikeouts over innings. With El Paso, he started four games and had a 4.58 ERA.
On March 15, 2025, Waldron suffered a left oblique muscle strain during a spring training outing, causing him to begin the season on the injured list. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on April 11. Waldron was activated from the injured list on June 1 and optioned to El Paso. Waldron was recalled on June 30 make his major league season debut as San Diego's starting pitcher versus the Philadelphia Phillies. He gave up four runs, six walks, and struck out three batters in a 4-0 loss. Following the game, he was optioned to Triple-A El Paso. His only major league appearance during the 2025 season, he finished with a 0âÂÂ1 win-loss record and 7.71 ERA. In the minor leagues, he pitched innings across 21 starts with the Arizona Complex League Padres, San Antonio, and El Paso, going 7-4 with a 6.48 ERA and 85 strikeouts.
Unlike other recent knuckleball pitchers like R. A. Dickey and Tim WakefieldâÂÂboth of whom relied heavily on throwing knuckleballsâÂÂWaldron's primary pitch is a four-seam fastball. His off-speed pitches are a slider and a knuckleball.
Waldron's twin brother, Mike, also played on the Nebraska baseball team.