Waldron's Emotional Knuckleball Debut at Fenway

San Diego Padres pitcher Matt Waldron, mentored by the late Tim Wakefield, made an emotional debut at Fenway Park, throwing a knuckleball in honor of his idol. Despite allowing four runs in 4 1/3 innings and the Padres losing 4-1 to the Red Sox, Waldron expressed deep sentiment, recalling his mentorship with Wakefield, who passed away from brain cancer last October. Wakefield had guided Waldron through Zoom sessions, which transformed Waldron into the only active knuckleballer in MLB. Waldron's journey from playing as Wakefield in video games to pitching at Fenway marks a poignant tribute to the knuckleball legacy. Though his performance wasn't stellar, Waldron's presence on the mound was seen as a touching homage to Wakefield and the unique bond they shared.