Padres sign free-agent starter Lucas Giolito
San Diego Union-Tribune • • sports
Key Points:
- The San Diego Padres signed free agent pitcher Lucas Giolito to a one-year deal, with plans for him to build up in low-A Lake Elsinore before joining the major league team by mid-May.
- Giolito, recovering from a 2024 elbow surgery, posted a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts with the Red Sox in 2025 and can earn over $7.1 million in 2026 through salary and incentives.
- The Padres, currently tied for the best record in MLB at 16-7, face rotation challenges as key starters Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove are sidelined with elbow injuries expected to last weeks or longer.
- Griffin Canning is nearing the end of his rehab from Achilles surgery and is expected to join the Padres rotation soon, while Matt Waldron has been filling in but struggled in a recent start.
- The signing of Giolito provides the Padres with insurance and depth amid uncertainty about their starting pitching health and sustainability of their early-season success.
