Waldron taking 'next step' in growth as a starting pitcher

PHILADELPHIA – Manager Mike Shildt has noticed something different about Matt Waldron in recent weeks.

“We’ve started to see this growth of, ‘Hey, I got this,’” Shildt said. “'I’m taking the next step.'”

The Padres needed Waldron to take that step Wednesday, as they faced the prospect of a winless six-game road trip and another sweep at the hands of the Phillies. Philadelphia was 25-3 in its last 28 games at Citizens Bank Park, had the red-hot Ranger Suárez on the mound, and a ferocious lineup that had scored 13 runs on 31 hits in the first two games of the series.

As he prepared for Wednesday’s start, Waldron was well aware of those numbers.

“I had a little chip on my shoulder,” Waldron said. “No one was really expecting it, so what was there to lose?”

Waldron turned that chip into a strong seven-inning, one-run performance, leading the Padres to a 5-2 victory to close what had been a brutal trip on a high note. He allowed five hits, walked two and hit a batter while striking out six.

Jackson Merrill homered early, Luis Arraez drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh, then Kyle Higashioka broke the game open in the eighth with a three-run triple -- the first of his career.

Robert Suarez, who blew his first save of the season on Tuesday night, redeemed himself with a scoreless ninth, picking up his 18th save.

“It could have been easy to show up today and be like, ‘You know what, let's just lick our wounds and go home. Let's just get back to San Diego. It’s not our trip; let’s just figure out how we do this when we get back,’” Shildt said. “This club had none of that in them. Zero. It's not part of the club's DNA, which you absolutely love.”

Waldron is now 4-1 with a 1.64 ERA over his past seven starts, five of them resulting in Padres victories.

“He’s a beast, dude,” Merrill said.

The Phillies looked like they might tame that beast in the first inning, loading the bases after only four batters. Waldron struck out Nick Castellanos with a knuckleball, then used another knuckler to retire Brandon Marsh on a line out to right field. Waldron had felt the heat right away -- both figuratively and literally, as the game-time temperature was 87 degrees and climbing -- and survived.

“I had a little bit of a slower start than I expected, but getting warmed up wasn't too hard, that’s for sure,” Waldron said. “I feel like I found a rhythm towards the third and the fourth that I held on to.”

Merrill’s solo homer against Suárez in the second gave the Padres a lead, but Bryce Harper tied it with a solo blast of his own in the third. Waldron and Suárez locked in from there, carrying the 1-1 game to the seventh.

Once Suárez departed after the sixth, the Padres offense responded, scoring a run in the seventh against Orion Kerkering to hand Waldron another lead. Having retired eight of his last nine batters, the righty was sent back out for the seventh, making quick work of David Dahl and Rafael Marchán. That brought Kyle Schwarber to the plate in a one-run game, giving the slugger a fourth look at Waldron.

Waldron struck out Schwarber on five pitches, mixing in a four-seam fastball and sweeper before ultimately getting the K on another knuckler, his season-high 48th of the game.

“When you face a guy who throws a knuckleball, you tend to know what to do with it,” Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott said. “But he’s a lot different than the other guys because he has four or five other pitches he can throw, too.”

Waldron has now thrown five straight quality starts, becoming the first San Diego pitcher to accomplish that feat in 2024. He owns a 1.35 ERA in those outings, striking out 24 while issuing only six walks in 33 1/3 innings.

“Ultimately, we need five aces, but right now he's been a guy that has shut down the other club,” Shildt said. “For him to go out today, navigate that lineup, then get Schwarber for the fourth time and give up just one run [overall], it's pretty darn impressive.”

Waldron’s performance helped snap a nine-game winless streak on the road, sending the Padres home for the next seven games against the Brewers and Nationals.

“You can't really enjoy it in the moment, that's for sure,” Waldron said. “I'm going to enjoy the flight home. Then we’ll get ready for tomorrow.”