The Padres got a bullpen boost just as the trade deadline clock starts to get loud.
Jeremiah Estrada is back on the active roster after being reinstated from the 15-day injured list ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Colorado Rockies. To clear space, San Diego designated right-hander Matt Waldron for assignment.
The move comes with the Padres sitting at 54-53 and five games away from the Aug. 3 trade deadline. The offense has started to come around, but the pitching depth has remained a real concern, which makes Estrada’s return especially timely.
Estrada’s 2026 season has been a stop-and-start one. He missed three weeks in April because of an elbow injury after his velocity dropped, came back for about a month, and then landed back on the shelf on June 2 with right knee inflammation.
Even with the interruptions, he has been effective when available. In 21 big league appearances this year, Estrada has posted a 3.48 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 20.2 innings. He also logged four rehab outings over the last two weeks, throwing 2.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and three walks.
San Diego is counting on him to help stabilize the middle and late innings, giving the club another bridge to Adrian Morejon and Mason Miller.
Waldron’s exit closes the book on an extended run with the organization. The 29-year-old appeared in 46 games, including 36 starts, over the last four years with the Padres and finished with a 5.19 ERA and 195 strikeouts across 225.1 innings.
His 2026 season never got rolling. He opened on the injured list after hemorrhoid surgery, struggled once he returned, then went back on the IL with a right brachialis muscle injury. The knuckleballer missed just under two months before returning right before the All-Star break.
Now Waldron heads to waivers, where another team can claim him. If he clears, the Padres could still keep him in the organization.
Wednesday’s game also has a bullpen-game feel to it. Left-hander Kyle Hart is starting for San Diego and carries a 5.21 ERA over 38 innings this season. Rookie right-hander Gabriel Hughes gets the ball for Colorado, entering with a 2.79 ERA in 19.1 innings after making his MLB debut in early July.
First pitch is set for 1:10 p.m. PT/4:10 p.m.
ET. The game will air on Padres.TV and in the MLB app, with radio coverage on 97.3 The Fan in English and XEMO 860 in Spanish.
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