The Blue Jays moved on from Matt Waldron on Wednesday, designating the knuckleball pitcher for assignment in a roster shuffle that also brought up left-hander Brendan Cellucci.
Waldron’s stint in Toronto never got rolling. He was claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres on Aug. 5, then allowed 5 earned runs over 4.1 innings in four appearances, good for a 10.38 ERA. It marked the second time in the last month that MLB’s only active knuckleballer has been DFA’d.
To fill the opening, Toronto selected Cellucci’s contract. The 28-year-old has not yet made his major league debut, but he put together a strong first year in the organization with Triple-A Buffalo, going 6-2 with a 3.89 ERA in 39 games. He also struck out 44 batters in 44 innings.
Cellucci was drafted in the 12th round by the Boston Red Sox in 2019.
For Waldron, the move closes a turbulent stretch that started before he even arrived in Toronto. The Padres designated him for assignment when they reinstated right-hander Jeremiah Estrada from the injured list.
Waldron was an important piece of San Diego’s rotation in 2024, using his knuckleball to post a 4.91 ERA in 27 appearances, including 26 starts. He logged 146.2 innings for a Padres club that won 93 games.
The 2025 season went in a different direction. Waldron spent most of it in Triple-A and made just one big league appearance. He then opened the 2026 season on the injured list after hemorrhoid surgery.
He returned, but an 8.49 ERA sent him back to the injured list with a right brachialis injury. After that, he made four bullpen appearances for San Diego and posted a 3.86 ERA over 9.1 innings before being DFA’d.
Across parts of four big league seasons, Waldron is 9-17 with a 5.29 ERA in 50 games, 36 of them starts. If he lands with another organization before Sept. 1, he’ll be eligible to pitch in the postseason.
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