Nationals claim LHP Ken Waldichuk off waivers, designate Soriano for assignment

The Washington Nationals picked up 28‑year‑old left‑hander Ken Waldichuk off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays and designated right‑hander George Soriano for assignment, Nationals President of Baseball Operations Paul Toboni announced. The move adds a high upside arm to Washington’s spring training picture while underlining the front office’s active churn on the 40‑man roster.

Washington’s waiver activity has been aggressive. Federalbaseball captured the approach succinctly: “Paul Toboni and Ani Kilambi have been doing work on the waiver wire lately. They are churning through players on the fringes of the 40‑man roster. Today, they claimed Ken Waldichuk from the Rays and DFA’d George Soriano in the process.” Soriano had been a recent waiver claim himself and now returns to uncertain status after another DFA.

Waldichuk brings a mixed but intriguing track record. Originally a fifth‑round pick of the New York Yankees out of St. Mary’s University (Calif.) in 2019, he has long been billed as a strikeout specialist. “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),” MLB noted in outlining his pedigree.

Major League results have been uneven. Waldichuk debuted in 2022, going 2‑2 with a 4.93 ERA in seven starts, and in 2023 he appeared in 35 games (22 starts), posting a 4‑9 record, one save and a 5.36 ERA. A significant injury intervened in 2024 when Waldichuk underwent Tommy John surgery in May. He returned in 2025 on a rehab schedule, making 17 appearances (16 starts) between Single‑A Stockton and Triple‑A Las Vegas, striking out 68 in 54.0 innings but posting an 8.17 ERA.

Scouting and analytic touchpoints explain why Washington is willing to take a flyer. Despite “low to mid 90s velocity, Waldichuk’s fastball has always played up,” Federalbaseball observed, and multiple summaries call him a “strikeout machine” with a high ceiling. Sports Illustrated framed the move within roster needs, noting that the Nationals “need as many major league‑ready arms as possible heading into the upcoming season” and that Waldichuk “at least gives Washington another option when it comes to a starter or reliever.” FantasyPros projects a limited big league role in 2026 (13 games, 2 starts, 23.5 innings, 22 strikeouts, 4.83 ERA) and labeled him a spring training depth addition.

The claim is best read as a reclamation project and depth play. Federalbaseball cautioned that “there is a chance Waldichuk is not on the team next week… If he does not look good this spring, you can always DFA him again.” For Nationals fans, Waldichuk’s arrival is a low‑cost, high‑upside audition: strong strikeout history and pedigree tempered by recent surgery and uneven results. Expect his fate to be decided in Grapefruit League turnouts and early camp bullpens, where he can either earn a long look as left‑handed depth or become the next name on Washington’s waiver carousel.