What Reminded Alex Cora Of Tim Wakefield Before Red Sox-Padres Finale

BOSTON — It’s hard not to think about Red Sox legend Tim Wakefield whenever anything knuckleball-related appears, especially at Fenway Park.

The topic arose a few hours before first pitch at Fenway Park. San Diego starter Matt Waldron features a knuckleball within his arsenal, albeit not one nearly as utilized as Wakefield’s throughout his 303 career appearances at Fenway Park.

“I don’t think these guys have, none of these guys have seen a knuckleball probably, not that I know of,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed pregame. “If you see it high, let it fly, I guess. That’s basically the thing, right? If you see it low, let it go.”

Crossing paths with a knuckleballer is rare in itself. The pitch hasn’t gone completely extinct, but facing an effective version of the slow, unpredictable pitch like Waldron’s is among the biggest challenges for any big-league hitter. Not to mention, Waldron regards Wakefield as a mentor, too.

Waldron debuted with the Padres last season following a four-year run in the minors. There, San Diego encouraged Waldron to throw the knuckleball in preparation for reviving its presence in the big leagues. The 26-year-old did exactly that in 2023, pitching to a 4.35 ERA through eight appearances.

“He has other pitches,” Cora said of Waldron. “He’s not like, 75% knuckleballs, he’s 40%. He has good (velocity) too, more like R.A. Dickey early on, so just gotta be ready.”

Cora added: “I guess whenever a knuckleballer comes to Fenway, you think about Wake.”