The Washington Nationals have added right-handed pitcher Matt Waldron to their roster, claiming him off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays. The move was announced Saturday afternoon, with the Blue Jays confirming via their official X account.

Waldron, 29, was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays earlier this week after a brief and difficult stint in Toronto. He made four appearances for the club, allowing five earned runs on seven hits over 4 1/3 innings. After not allowing a run in his first two outings, he gave up multiple runs in each of his next two, raising his ERA with the Blue Jays to 10.38.

Across the entire 2025 season, Waldron has a 7.54 ERA in 37 innings, split between the Blue Jays and the San Diego Padres. He was claimed off waivers by Toronto from San Diego earlier this month. With the Padres, he posted a 7.16 ERA in 32 2/3 innings. The Omaha, Nebraska native has a career MLB ERA of 7.54 across 14 outings (three starts) this year, with a 1-2 record and 31 strikeouts. He has appeared in one big league game for the Padres in 2025, after debuting with the club in 2023.

Waldron is perhaps best known for his knuckleball, which he began featuring prominently in recent seasons. He became the first pitcher to throw a knuckleball in a major league game since 2021 when he debuted in 2023. That pitch helped him to a 4.91 ERA across 27 appearances (26 starts) in 2024. However, his performance has been inconsistent since, and he has struggled with command and consistency.

The Nationals are hoping a change of scenery can help Waldron rediscover his form. According to NBC Sports, he is expected to operate in a swingman-type role for the Nationals over the final five weeks of the season. Since he is out of options, he is likely to be added directly to the active roster.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Waldron, the Nationals transferred left-handed pitcher Connelly Early to the 60-day injured list. Early has been sidelined since early July with elbow inflammation and forearm tightness. The 60-day transfer does not affect his recovery timeline, as he was already expected to miss time until September. He was originally placed on the injured list on July 1 and will be eligible for activation after August ends.

The Nationals' bullpen has struggled for most of the season, and manager Blake Butera and president of baseball operations Paul Toboni have been searching for consistent relief options. Waldron's arrival adds another arm to that mix, though his recent performance raises questions about how much he can contribute immediately.

Waldron's stint with the Blue Jays was his second this season, and this claim now sends him to his third different organization. He appeared in just four games for Toronto after being acquired from the Padres, and his time there was marred by poor results and a high ERA.

Before joining the Blue Jays, Waldron had spent parts of the 2023–2025 seasons with San Diego. He was placed on the injured list in mid-May with a right brachialis muscle injury and spent time on a rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso, where he allowed four runs over 15 innings. After being activated, he pitched in a bulk relief role and was used out of the bullpen, but he was eventually dropped from the rotation after a rough outing pushed his ERA to 9.28.

Waldron's knuckleball has been affected by environmental and mechanical factors at various points this season. In Colorado, the thin air reportedly caused him to throw it less, and he has not leaned on it as heavily as he did with the Padres.

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, were in the middle of a weekend series with the New York Yankees in the Bronx. They lost 3-1 on Friday before winning 4-3 on Saturday. The team sits in fourth place in the American League East with a 63-67 record, having gone 6-4 in their last ten games.

For Waldron, the claim by Washington represents another opportunity to prove himself at the major league level. His minor league numbers this season — a 1.33 ERA — suggest he has the ability to pitch effectively when things are clicking. The Nationals will hope that fresh start can help him translate that success to the big leagues.