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Padres' Matt Waldron Threw Mesmerizing Knuckleballs That Made Marlins Look Foolish

Tom Dierberger|
Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron throws a pitch in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park.
Padres starting pitcher Matt Waldron throws a pitch in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park. | David Frerker-USA TODAY Sports

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San Diego PadresMiami Marlins

If he's on, San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron is one of the most intriguing pitchers to watch in baseball.

Walton throws five pitches, but he's best known for his knuckleball that dances around the strike zone on a nightly basis. It was dancing again Tuesday during his start against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park.

Through seven innings, Waldron fanned eight batters. All eight Marlins went down swinging at his knuckleball, a series of highlights best enjoyed in slow motion.

Waldron's knuckleball has a spin rate of 240. (For reference, the average spin rate on an MLB pitch is around 2350). Opponents are batting .240 against the knuckleball but also swing and miss at the pitch over 35% of the time.

The 27-year-old Waldron owned a 2–5 record and 4.86 ERA entering Tuesday's start.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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