Padres Placing Veteran Pitcher on Injured List, Calling Up Alek Jacob

The San Diego Padres have placed right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron on the injured list with a right brachialis muscle injury. Right-handed pitcher Alek Jacob has been recalled to replace him as bullpen depth before the team officially activates Lucas Giolito this weekend.

We have recalled RHP Alek Jacob from Triple-A El Paso and placed RHP Matt Waldron on the 15-day IL with a right brachialis muscle injury.
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 15, 2026

Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported on Friday that Waldron was going to be designated for assignment. Instead, he's going on the IL, meaning he'll be able to remain in the organization for the time being.

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

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.”

While Waldron won't be in the bullpen, he'll still be with the organization, just shelved on the injured list.

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.”

By being designated for assignment, Waldron would have had to go on waivers, where he would have been free to be picked up by any team. Instead, he'll be stashed on the IL as he recovers from this injury.

Waldron was initially 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.

This story has been updated to reflect the fact that the Padres have placed Waldron on the injured list instead of designating him for assignment as Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune initially reported.

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