Matt Waldron DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

San Diego Padres right-hander Matt Waldron (oblique) made a minor-league rehab start in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League on May 15 and could move to Double-A San Antonio for his next rehab start. Waldron suffered a left-oblique strain while warming up in the bullpen before a spring training game and was moved to the 60-day injured list (retroactive to March 24) on March 27. MLB.com is estimating that he could make his 2025 season debut in the big leagues by June or July. In 1 2/3 innings in the ACL last Thursday, the 28-year-old knuckleballer gave up an earned run on two hits while walking one and striking out three. He threw 38 pitches in the outing and will likely need at least a few more starts before being under consideration for starting-rotation role at the big-league level. Fantasy managers in 12-team mixed leagues can continue to ignore Waldron.

San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron (oblique) was unable to pitch on Friday due to a "mild" left oblique strain. Waldron was set to enter the spring training contest but was pulled by the medical staff. After the contest, the team noted he would be evaluated further on Saturday. If Waldron were to miss time, this could open the door for Randy Vasquez to be the clear front-runner for the final spot in the starting rotation. Last season, Waldron logged 146 2/3 innings (26 starts) and held a 4.91 ERA with a 1.26 WHIP. He tallied 133 strikeouts and posted a strong 6.4 percent walk rate. He also generated a modest 4.11 xERA with a .246 xBA. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as Vasquez, Stephen Kolek, or Kyle Hart could see opportunities in the rotation at the start of the season.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron was recalled from Triple-A El Paso earlier on Sunday. In a corresponding move, the Padres demoted right-handed pitcher Randy Vasquez to the minor leagues. Vasquez was given the starting nod on Saturday evening and held his own against the Arizona Diamondbacks as he tossed six shutout innings with only one hit and one walk. Martin Perez is slated to start in the regular season finale for San Diego but Waldron could be deployed as a long relief option if Perez struggles. Fantasy managers should avoid streaming Perez this afternoon as he has generated strikeouts at a very low 18.2% rate this summer.