Padres’ Matt Waldron DFA could be another domino in A.J. Preller’s trade deadline plans

A.J. Preller rarely announces what he’s about to do. He’ll leave us clues, clear roster space and let the rest of baseball speculate with an eye on the transaction log. The Padres may have dropped another clue on July 29.

They reinstated Jeremiah Estrada from the IL and DFA’d Matt Waldron. At first glance, it just looks like a simple exchange. Estrada was ready, Waldron was out of options and someone was going to lose a roster spot.

The other way to look at it is by glancing at the calendar. The trade is around the corner on Aug. 3, and the Padres just created an opening on their 40-man while hovering around .500, and in the middle of a congested NL Wild Card race. It might just be more than routine housekeeping. Prelly may just be setting the table here. 

Padres’ decision to DFA Matt Waldron points toward another pitching move

To be honest, Waldron didn’t pitch well enough to make this a difficult decision. The 29-year-old posted a 7.16 ERA with 43 hits and seven home runs allowed over 32 2/3 innings. The knuckleball made him interesting, but that only got him so far.

He wasn’t going to start a postseason game. He wasn’t forcing his way into a high-leverage bullpen role. His primary value was that he remained a healthy pitcher capable of covering multiple innings.

The Padres still have one reliable starting pitcher in Michael King and a collection of questions behind him. Walker Buehler owns a 5.13 ERA. Griffin Canning is 1-9 with a 6.97 ERA. Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove and Lucas Giolito are on the IL. 

Waldron was not the solution, but removing him makes the need even more interesting. The Padres have cleared a 40-man spot five days before the deadline because they expect to have a better use for it. Teams preparing to stand pat don’t usually start creating convenient landing spots for incoming players.

Estrada’s return strengthens the back end of the bullpen. He carried a 3.48 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings before landing on the IL with knee inflammation. The Padres viewed him as another high-leverage option behind Mason Miller, Adrián Morejón and Jason Adam.

It’s obvious why the Padres wanted him active. It doesn’t fully explain why they chose to remove Waldron from the 40-man roster instead of making a temporary move with an optionable pitcher.

Ethan Salas promotion adds another layer to Padres trade deadline intrigue

Waldron’s DFA is not the only curious development. The Padres are also promoting top catching prospect Ethan Salas to Triple-A El Paso, placing him one step away from the majors just as trade conversations should be reaching their most serious stage.

He’s been identified as the Padres’ biggest trade chip not named Mason Miller. If Preller wants a controllable starting pitcher capable of changing the direction of this season, Salas is the player every selling team will ask about first.

The timing of his promotion is hard to miss. He is a 20-year-old top prospect who has reached Triple-A and can be presented as a near-major-league centerpiece.

We already know Preller isn’t a collector when it comes to elite prospects. He traded Leo De Vries last summer in the blockbuster that brought Mason Miller and JP Sears to San Diego. If the right pitcher becomes available, Salas will not be protected by sentimentality.

That does not make Waldron part of a direct trade package. His DFA is about roster flexibility. But the sequence is difficult to miss: Salas moves to Triple-A, Waldron comes off the 40-man roster and the Padres’ biggest need remains glaringly obvious.

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