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Peoria, AZ - February 23: JP Sears #38 of the San Diego Padres pitches during a spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers on February 23, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Manager Craig Stammen announced in his pre-game media session on Tuesday, the promotion of LHP JP Sears to make his season debut with the San Diego Padres after the team placed starter Lucas Giolito on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation.
Stammen reported that Giolito spoke up about the soreness in his elbow after his last appearance against the Texas Rangers. It is reportedly similar to the soreness he felt last season before missing the rest of the year on the injured list. The Padres will push Randy Vásquez back a day, and Sears will start tomorrow against the Atlanta Braves, with Vásquez going the first game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Giolito joins Germán Márquez, Matt Waldron, Nick Pivetta, and Jhony Brito as starters on the injured list. Both Márquez and Brito are completing their work to return from injuries, with Brito pitching two days ago and Márquez nearing the end of his rehab assignment. Waldron just began his rehab assignment with El Paso this past week.
Giolito signed with the organization on April 22, making his season debut May 17 after an abbreviated ramp-up to the season. His velocity, diminished this season, sits 2-3 mph below his norm, and he has been hit frequently, pitching in 29.2 innings over seven games with a 5.16 ERA. The team has used an opener for him in his last two games.
Sears, acquired at the trade deadline last season, has a history as an innings-eater in his MLB career. His previous ERA, before pitching for the Padres, sat between 3.50 and 4.50 from 2022 to 2024. He finished last year with a 5.04 ERA overall, 4.95 with the Athletics before the trade and 5.47 in his five starts with the Padres.
For 2026, Sears has started for El Paso in Triple-A and leads the team with 62 strikeouts, but also has a 7.92 ERA in his 14 starts and 63.2 innings. The dry air and elevation in the Pacific Coast League are not conducive to the effectiveness of pitchers. He could be more successful at Petco Park, with the damp air and being at sea level. Sears features a seven-pitch mix with a four-seam fastball that sits in the low 90’s. His command and movement might look very different in MLB parks.
With Giolito to the IL, both Márquez and Brito could get opportunities to push their way onto the roster. Sears and the two returning pitchers give the team some depth and options as they decide what their moves will be at the trade deadline. With a starting pitching staff ranked 28th in MLB, the Padres need to improve the starting rotation if they are to remain in contention for the playoffs.
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