Padres’ Matt Waldron undergoes hemorrhoid surgery, opening day in doubt

San Diego Padres pitcher Matt Waldron could begin the season on the injured list after being hospitalized for several days and undergoing hemorrhoid surgery to deal with an infection, manager Craig Stammen said Tuesday.

Stammen said the 29-year-old pitcher will hopefully be released soon, but that will depend on the pitching process.

“Had an infection in the back end and had to have surgery to drain it and make it better,” Stammen said, via the San Diego Union-Tribune . “… He’ll be out week to week depending on how that cut heals and how he feels about moving around.”

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The tribe said Waldron was in such a good place prior to the injury and that his lone spring training start was up and his curveball was working. In that start, he pitched two scoreless innings and struck out two batters.

San Diego Padres pitcher Matt Waldron (61) poses during spring training photo day in Peoria, Arizona, on Feb. 18, 2026. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)

Waldron, an 18th-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, made one big league appearance in 2025, pitching 4.2 innings while giving up four earned runs, striking out three batters and walking six batters. In Triple-A last season, he had a 6.67 ERA across 18 starts and 82.1 innings.

Waldron has appeared in 36 games across three seasons, all with the Padres. He has an 8-15 record with a 4.86 ERA in 192.2 major league innings.

San Diego Padres pitcher Matt Waldron (61) throws a pitch during the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on June 30, 2025. (Eric Hartline/Imagn Images)

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With Waldron out, pitchers Randy Vasquez, Walker Buehler, German Marquez, JP Sears, Triston McKenzie and Marco Gonzales are left to compete for the final two spots in the Padres’ starting rotation.

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