The San Diego Padres have agreed to a one-year deal with free-agent pitcher Lucas Giolito, adding depth to their rotation amid injuries. The contract includes a mutual option for 2027. Giolito, 31, will need minor-league starts before joining the major-league roster.
San Diego, tied with the Dodgers at 16-7 for the best record in baseball four weeks into the season, addressed a key weakness on Wednesday. The Padres signed right-hander Lucas Giolito to bolster a rotation hit by injuries to Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove, Griffin Canning and Yu Darvish. Manager Craig Stammen praised the move before a game in Denver, saying, “It's awesome that we signed Lucas. Looking forward to getting him here with the big league team, but he's got to be built up a little bit. He brings a track record of a lot of success in the big leagues, and he's still only 31 years old.” Giolito must be added to the major-league roster within 25 days and will start with Single-A Lake Elsinore to build up pitch counts to around 95 before a potential early May debut, according to Stammen. Stammen added, “Judging by the way he's thinking, he feels pretty good with where he's at right now.”