San Diego Padres
· 2026-06-29
The San Diego Padres lost starting pitcher Lucas Giolito to an elbow injury, placing him on the 15-day injured list.
Giolito suffered right elbow inflammation and will be out for an undetermined amount of time.
The Padres recalled JP Sears from Triple-A El Paso to fill the void.
Sears will start Wednesday against the Braves.
Randy Vsquez will start Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Padres are coming off a 2-4 loss to the Dodgers on June 28, and are now 43-39, standing 8th in the National League.
Giolito is 2-3 this season with a 5.16 ERA in seven games.
The team will look to bounce back from their current L2 streak.
Wandy Peralta will start the second game of the series at Petco Park, serving as an opener for Griffin Canning.
Peralta is 1-0 with a 1.91 ERA in 32 games this season.
Canning is 1-5 with a 6.64 ERA across 42 games.
The Padres also activated catcher Freddy Fermin from the 7-day injured list and optioned Blake Hunt to Triple-A.
Fermin's return will provide a boost to the team's lineup.
The Padres will need to adjust their rotation and lineup to compensate for Giolito's injury.
Giolito's injury raises questions about his free agency and why he had trouble finding a stronger offer sooner.
The Padres signed Giolito to a one-year contract on April 22 for $3 million.
Giolito had a solid season with the Boston Red Sox in 2025, going 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts.
The Padres will look to Sears and Vsquez to fill the void left by Giolito's injury.
Sears has struggled with the Chihuahuas, especially against right-handed hitters.
The Padres will need to find a way to replace Giolito's production in the rotation.
Canning has shown promise, allowing one run over 4.1 innings in his last start.
The Padres will look to build on Canning's success and find a way to win without Giolito.