Padres Place Lucas Giolito on Injured List with Elbow Inflammation The San Diego Padres placed right-handed pitcher Lucas Giolito on the 15-day injured list on June 22 with right elbow inflammation, recalling left-handed reliever JP Sears to fill his roster spot. The decision comes amid concerns about Giolito’s recent performance and lingering questions about his health. The Padres did not specify the severity of the injury or Giolito’s expected timeline for return, but his history of elbow issues raises alarms. Giolito missed the entire 2024 season recovering from internal brace surgery and returned to the Red Sox in 2025, where he posted a 3.41 ERA over 145 innings. However, his season was marked by subpar strikeout rates, a reliance on luck, and struggles with baserunning. Giolito’s performance with the Padres has been even more troubling. After being signed in late April, he was optioned to the minors to build up his workload. He made seven appearances for the Padres in May and June, posting a 5.16 ERA. His strikeout rate plummeted to 13% of batters faced, far below his previous career averages, while his walk rate surged to 16.7%. His velocity has also dropped significantly, with his four-seamer averaging 90.8 mph this season—down from 93.3 mph in 2025. His other pitches have also lost velocity, with drops of two to three miles per hour. The Padres’ rotation has struggled this season, with a collective 4.54 ERA ranking near the bottom of the majors. While Michael King and Walker Buehler have shown promise, Griffin Canning’s 6.64 ERA and Randy Vásquez’s recent 5.10 ERA over 12 outings have further complicated matters. Giolito’s absence adds pressure to an already fragile rotation.#san_diego_padres #all_star_break #aj_preller #lucas_giolito #jp_sears
