The Washington Nationals claimed left-handed pitcher Ken Waldichuk off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays and designated right-handed pitcher George Soriano for assignment on Thursday. Nationals President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni made the announcement.
Waldichuk, 28, most recently played in the Athletics organization where he spent the previous four seasons after being acquired by the Athletics at the 2022 Trade Deadline. He was acquired by the Atlanta Braves and Tampa Bay Rays this offseason. Waldichuk made his Major League debut with the Athletics in 2022, going 2-2 with a 4.93 ERA in seven starts. He appeared in 35 Major League games (22 starts) in 2023, going 4-9 with one save and a 5.36 ERA.
Originally selected by the New York Yankees in the fifth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of St. Mary’s University (Calif.), Waldichuk ranks eighth in all of Minor League Baseball (min. 275.0 IP) with 13.02 strikeouts per 9.0 innings since the start of the 2019 season. He’s fanned 417 batters in 288.1 innings pitched across 71 games (68 starts).
Waldichuk spent the 2025 season rehabbing from May 2024 Tommy John surgery. He appeared in 17 games (16 starts) between Single-A Stockton and Triple-A Las Vegas, striking out 68 batters in 54.0 innings while going 2-6 with an 8.17 ERA.