Another arm took a step toward returning to the fold Thursday.
Knuckleballer Matt Waldron threw 38 pitches over 1⅔ innings in the Arizona Complex League in the Padres’ 5-3 win over the Guardians’ rookie-level .
The appearance was Waldron’s first rehab start. The 28-year-old knuckleballer had allowed nine earned runs in 9⅓ innings in Cactus League action this spring when a left oblique strain shut him down.
Waldron struck out three, walked one and allowed one run on two hits in the rehab appearance. He threw 27 of his 38 pitches for strikes.
A key member of the rotation while Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove were out with injury last year, Waldron finished 2024 at Triple-A El Paso after a late-summer slump pushed his ERA to 4.91.
Darvish (elbow) began his rehab assignment on Wednesday with Triple-A El Paso and could re a six-man rotation as soon as next week. With both Stephen Kolek and Randy Vásquez pitching well, the Padres can bring Waldron along carefully.
Thursday’s scoreboard
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (21-21)
Chihuahuas 8, Las Vegas 5: C Luis Campusano (1.079 OPS) went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and his ninth homer, tops in the system. LF Tirso Ornelas (.769 OPS) drove in three runs on three hits. SS Clay Dungan (.806 OPS) went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. LHP Jackson Wolf (3.38 ERA) struck out eight and allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk in 4⅔ innings in the start. RHP Reiss Knehr (2.40 ERA) saved his eighth game with three strikeouts over a scoreless ninth. He walked one.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (17-19)
Midland 9, Missions 6: LHP Jagger Haynes (4.50 ERA) allowed five runs in 5⅔ innings in the start. LHP Jake Higginbotham (2-2, 3.95 ERA) allowed two runs without recording an out. C Cody Roberts (.906 OPS) drove in four runs on three hits, including his first homer. 3B Devin Ortiz (.781 OPS), 2B Anthony Vilar (.646 OPS) and LF Moises Gomez (.810 OPS) all had two hits.
HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (20-16)
TinCaps 9, W. Michigan 8: 3B Rosman Verdugo (.862 OPS) hit his seventh and eighth homers and doubled during a three-hit game. He also walked, drove in three runs and scored four more. CF Braedon Karpathios (.829 OPS) drove in three runs on his sixth homer. 2B Brandon Butterworth (.756 OPS) doubled twice, while SS Leo De Vries (.839 OPS) went 1-for-4 with a run scored. LHP Harry Gustin (2-0, 1.80 ERA) struck out five over 3⅓ scoreless innings in relief for the win. RHP Garrett Hawkins (3.71 ERA) earned the save with three strikeouts over 1⅓ scoreless innings.
LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (16-20)
Storm 1, Fresno 0: RHP Kleiber Olmedo (7.64 ERA) struck out six over four shutout innings in the start. RHP Adam Conrad (3-0, 0.00 ERA) followed with three shutout innings and RHP Vicarte Domingo (4.74 ERA) saved his first game with five strikeouts over two perfect innings. LF Kaden Hollow (.782 OPS) went 2-for-4 with an RBI.
ROOKIE ACL PADRES (2-7)
Padres 5, Guardians 3: 1B Victor Figueroa (1.874 OPS) went 2-for-3 with his fourth homer, a triple and three RBIs. DH Kale Fountain (.775 OPS) went 0-for-4 but walked and stole four bases. CF Kai Roberts (1.453 OPS) and SS Yimi Tovar (.747 OPS) both had a double.
