Padres Cutting Ties With Veteran Pitcher in Surprise Move, Calling Up Alek Jacob

The San Diego Padres are planning on calling up right-handed pitcher Alek Jacob on Friday to provide some bullpen coverage this weekend before the team officially activates Lucas Giolito.

In order to make room on the active roster, right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron is being designated for assignment, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

This will be the end of Matt Waldron’s time with the Padres, at least for now.
(He could go unclaimed by another team and end up back at El Paso.) https://t.co/x4WksSovUU
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) May 15, 2026

This is a surprise move as Padres manager Craig Stammen said on Thursday that Waldron would remain with the team in the bullpen after getting replaced by Giolito in the rotation.

“He was in the bullpen today,” Stammen said on Thursday. “And he’ll be in the bullpen tomorrow and the next day and going after that.”

Less than 24 hours later, the Padres have seemed to reverse course on that decision (or Stammen wasn't in the know about the upcoming move for Waldron).

Waldron, 29, has made six appearances for the Padres this season, sporting an ERA of 8.49 across 23.1 innings. He pitched two scoreless innings in relief on Thursday. However, on Tuesday, he was supposed to be the bulk pitcher, and lasted just 2.2 innings while allowing six runs on eight hits.

“Safe to say my ERA and my numbers aren’t too attractive right now,” Waldron said after Tuesday's game. “And I have no options, so I mean, yeah, that’s where I’ll leave it. I’m smart enough. But, yeah, I’m one day at a time right now.”

After Thursday's game, Stammen had nothing but praise for the right-hander.

“We obviously know Giolito is coming at some point, relatively soon,” Stammen said. “That leaves one guy out of the starting rotation, probably, and so ‘Waldy’ is probably going to be that guy in the bullpen."

"He picked us up today, big time," Stammen added. "We needed those two innings. He saved us for tomorrow. We’re going to have a chance to win the next three games, because he pitched those two innings, which is pretty awesome and admirable.”

It's unclear what changed in between the end of Thursday's game and now. However, what is clear is Waldron's time with the organization is done, at least for now.

By being designated for assignment, Waldron will go on waivers, where he'll be free to be picked up by any team. If he goes through waivers unclaimed, the Padres will be able to keep him in the organization in the minor leagues.

Waldron was acquired by the Padres in August 2020 in a blockbuster trade with Cleveland. Across parts of four seasons with San Diego at the big league level, he has a 5.25 ERA over 216 innings.

Padres Calling Up Alek Jacob

As for the other move, the Padres are getting some bullpen coverage for the time being before Giolito debuts.

Giolito is likely to pitch on Sunday, giving Jacob two days to be with the big league club.

Jacob has already been with the Padres at the big league level once this year, pitching two shutout innings in his one appearance on April 15. He had a 5.13 ERA across 29 appearances last season.

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