A third organisation in five weeks
Matt Waldron starts for Washington against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night, the third game of a four-game series, and it will be his first appearance in a Nationals uniform. It is also his third organisation since late July.
The right-hander had spent parts of four seasons with San Diego before the Padres designated him for assignment. Toronto claimed him. The Blue Jays then let him go, and Washington took him off waivers this past weekend. Making room cost the Nationals a familiar arm: veteran right-hander Trevor Williams, 34, was designated for assignment. Williams signed as a free agent in December 2022 and leaves after parts of four seasons with a 15-21 record and a 4.81 ERA.
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The knuckleball question
Waldron, 29, throws a knuckleball, which by itself puts him in a group that barely exists in the majors anymore. The results this year have not backed it up. He is 1-2 with a 7.54 ERA over 14 appearances, only three of them starts. His career line reads 9-17 with a 5.29 ERA across 50 games and 36 starts.
He has been asked to do three different jobs inside one season.
“I feel like my role has been a little different this year,” Waldron said. “I’ve started games, I’ve been an opener, and then I’ve been throwing in the eighth or ninth innings. So any opportunity right now sounds good.”
Two seasons drifting in different directions
Washington comes into this one having lost nine of its last 11 games. The offence put up 13 runs in an easy win, then produced five hits and four walks in a 3-1 defeat on Tuesday that ended Colorado’s season-worst seven-game losing streak. One number frames the Nationals’ year better than any other: they are 1-55 when trailing after seven innings.
Daylen Lile is the exception in that lineup. He homered for a second straight game on Tuesday and has hit safely in four of his last five, batting .429 with two doubles, two home runs, five runs and seven RBIs over the stretch.
Colorado counters with Tanner Gordon, 0-4 with a 5.75 ERA, making his seventh start and 19th appearance. He took the loss against Cleveland on Friday, giving up five runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 9-1 defeat. Gordon has faced Washington once, in 2024, and allowed five runs over four innings. Catcher Hunter Goodman, activated from the injured list on Tuesday, marked his return with his 35th home run of the season.
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