DETROIT, MI – JULY 16: A detailed view of a Toronto Blue Jays baseball hat and glove sitting on the dugout steps during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on July 16, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Blue Jays 6-5. (Photo by Mark Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Toronto Blue Jays have spent much of this season searching for pitching depth, with injuries, roster turnover and the demands of a postseason race forcing the club to continually look for new ways to cover innings.
That has produced a rotating group of contributors throughout the roster, but particularly on the pitching staff.
“In an ever-evolving cast of characters that now includes Brett Bateman, Josh Smith, and Daz Cameron, and a bullpen that seemingly changes day by day, many of these new weapons in the toy chest have earned their stripes in a short span,” Ian Hunter wrote for Blue Jays Nation.
One of the most recent sudden additions was right-hander Matt Waldron, who gave Toronto an intriguing option on the mound as Major League Baseball’s one and only active knuckleballer. But his time with the Blue Jays proved remarkably brief.
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Late last week, the Washington Nationals announced that they had claimed Waldron on outright waivers while also transferring left-hander Connelly Early to the 60-day injured list to make room for him.
Waldron’s departure is particularly notable because Toronto had only recently acquired him. The Blue Jays claimed the 29-year-old off waivers from the San Diego Padres in early August after San Diego designated him for assignment, similar to how his tenure with the Blue Jays ended.
“It’s the second time in under a month that Waldron has changed teams via the waiver wire,” Mark Polishuk noted for MLB Trade Rumors. “The Padres designated the knuckleballer for assignment in late July and the Jays claimed Waldron a week later. After four appearances for the Blue Jays, Waldron found himself in DFA limbo again.”
That unusual sequence highlights just how quickly roster decisions can change for teams fighting for playoff position.
Waldron’s biggest appeal was his ability to provide length while relying heavily on the knuckleball, a pitch that can make him difficult for opposing hitters to prepare for. But the results simply were not consistent enough to keep him in Toronto’s plans.
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Waldron has posted a 7.54 ERA across 37 innings between San Diego and Toronto this season, although his underlying numbers suggest some of the damage has been amplified by poor fortune.
He appeared in just four games for the Blue Jays, logging a total of four and one-third innings while giving up five earned runs, walking two and striking out three. Though his arrival in Toronto generating some intrigue given his veteran status and unique profile, his tenure has officially ended without much fanfare.