The Rays have designated left-hander Ken Waldichuk for assignment, making room on the 40-man roster for infielder Ben Williamson, who arrived in Tampa Bay as part of a three-team trade that sent All-Star utility man Brendan Donovan to the Mariners.
For Waldichuk, it's yet another stop on what’s been a whirlwind offseason. Tampa Bay had only recently acquired him from Atlanta in a DFA trade.
Before that, the Braves had claimed him off waivers from Oakland, who had designated him for assignment after acquiring Jeff McNeil. That makes three organizations in just a matter of weeks-and three DFA stints since December.
It’s been a tough stretch for a pitcher who, not long ago, was viewed as a promising young arm.
Originally a fifth-round pick by the Yankees in 2019, Waldichuk climbed the prospect ranks thanks to a mix of deception, a lively fastball, and a solid four-pitch mix. He was a key piece in the A’s return when they sent Frankie Montas to the Yankees at the 2022 trade deadline-a deal that, in hindsight, didn’t pan out particularly well for either side.
Montas struggled in New York, eventually undergoing shoulder surgery and logging just nine appearances with a 6.15 ERA. On Oakland’s side, the return hasn’t exactly flourished either.
Waldichuk and fellow pitcher Luis Medina have both dealt with injuries and inconsistency, while JP Sears emerged as the most reliable contributor from the trade. Sears was later moved to San Diego as a secondary piece in the Mason Miller deal.
Waldichuk saw significant big league time in 2022 and 2023, starting 25 of his 31 appearances. But the results were underwhelming: a 5.35 ERA with strikeout and walk numbers that hovered just below league average.
Then came a major setback-Tommy John surgery in May of 2024-which kept him off a major league mound for the entire season. He returned in the second half to pitch in Triple-A, but it was a rocky comeback.
He allowed 52 runs in 51 innings, and his fastball, once sitting around 94 mph during his rookie campaign, dipped to 91.6 mph last year in the minors.
Despite the struggles, both Atlanta and Tampa Bay saw enough in Waldichuk to take a low-risk chance on a potential bounce-back. He’s still just 28, has two minor league options remaining, and is under team control for at least four more years. Plus, he’s on a team-friendly $825,000 contract for 2026, just above the league minimum.
Whether he clears waivers or finds a new home via trade, Waldichuk’s journey is far from over. Teams are always on the lookout for left-handed arms with past prospect pedigree, especially ones with some runway left before free agency. If he can regain some of that pre-injury velocity and command, there’s still a path back to a big league role-though for now, he’ll have to wait and see where the next chapter begins.