Matt Waldron took another step toward returning to the Padres’ rotation, throwing 75 pitches over four innings in a rehab start in Triple-A El Paso’s 5-3 loss on Friday at Sacramento.
The knuckleballer threw 48 pitches for strikes while allowing four runs — three earned — on seven hits and three walks. He struck out six.
Waldron has struck out 15 against seven walks over four rehab starts (5.25 ERA, 12 IP).
Friday’s start was his first with Triple-A El Paso and his longest as he aims to make himself an option when the Padres re-insert a fifth starter into the rotation next week in San Francisco.
Left-hander Kyle Hart was optioned to El Paso on Friday and right-hander Michael King (shoulder) is not yet playing catch and not eligible to return from the 15-day injured list until June 6.
Waldron was competing for the fifth spot in the rotation in spring training until straining his oblique.
Right fielder Tirso Ornelas (.840 OPS) went 3-for-3 with a double and a walk and center fielder Bryce Johnson (.870 OPS) went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs on his third homer.
El Paso is 28-27.
Friday’s scoreboard
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (27-22)
Missions 4, Arkansas 2: RHP Luis Patiño (0.00 ERA) struck out four batters while scattering two hits and two walks over four shutout innings. Patiño allowed two earned runs in nine innings on a rehab assignment at low Single-A Lake Elsinore. With that assignment coming to an end, Patiño, 25 was simply assigned to San Antonio as the next stage in his return from Tommy John surgery. Patiño re-signed a minor league deal with the Padres after losing all of last year to the elbow reconstruction. RHP Enmanuel Pinales (1-3, 10.00 ERA) struck out eight while allowing two runs over the final five innings. C Brandon Valenzuela (.833 OPS) drove in two runs on his seventh homer. RF Joshua Mears (.597 OPS) doubled in two runs.
HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (24-25)
Great Lakes 10, TinCaps 4: SS Leo De Vries (.801 OPS) went 0-for-5 with a strikeout. 2B Brandon Butterworth (.781 OPS) went 2-for-4 with his second homer and DH Sean Barnett (.742 OPS) hit his first homer. LF Jack Costello (.599 OPS) doubled twice. LHP Bodi Rascon (0-1, 8.31 ERA) walked five and allowed seven runs in 1⅔ innings in relief.
LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (22-27)
Storm 5, Stockton 1: 1B Victor Figueroa (.879 OPS) drove in two runs on his third homer with the Storm and eighth homer in 21 games to start his career. DH Kavares Tears (.840 OPS) went 3-for-4 with his fifth homer. SS Ryan Jackson (.927 OPS) went 2-for-4 with a run scored. RHP Johan Moreno (1-3, 7.62 ERA) earned the win with 4⅔ shutout innings in relief.
ROOKIE ACL PADRES (5-16)
Mariners 4, Padres 2: RHP Cole Paplham (1.93 ERA) allowed a hit in a scoreless inning in his fourth rehab appearance since taking a comebacker off his face in spring training. RHP Winyer Chourio (2-2, 4.80 ERA) allowed three runs over the final three innings. 2B Ismael Javier (.651 OPS) went 3-for-4 with a run scored. LF Eguy Rosario (.545 OPS) went 2-for-5 but struck out three times.
