The Padres placed Lucas Giolito on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, a move that reshuffled the rotation. For now, MacKenzie Gore? (No.) — For now, James? (No.) The Padres shifted planning around the upcoming starts, giving Jake Sears the
When Lucas Giolito walked off the mound after Sunday’s outing in Texas—four runs allowed in four innings—the concern didn’t wait for the next scheduled assessment. The Padres said Giolito informed the staff that his elbow was bothering him in the aftermath of that start.
Now, that worry has become an IL move.
San Diego placed Giolito on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. Manager Craig Stammen said the team believes it caught the issue early and framed it as something that’s “not super severe.”
“He’s just got some inflammation in there, just a little irritated,” Stammen said. “He’ll probably be down from throwing for a couple days, then get back at it.”
With Giolito unavailable, the question in San Diego turns immediately to who can step into the rotation and stay there. For now, Sears effectively takes Giolito’s spot in the starting five, but the Padres have reshuffled their rotation so Sears will start on Wednesday, his scheduled turn.
That decision also shaped how the Padres viewed their options behind the top of the staff. The Padres essentially chose Sears over right-hander Germán Márquez, preferring to give Márquez at least one more rehab outing with Triple-A El Paso.
Márquez is recovering from nerve irritation in his right forearm. He’s been mostly sharp in four rehab starts with Triple-A El Paso, posting a 1.76 ERA. In his most recent rehab start, Márquez built to five innings, which means his next outing could be his last.
If it is, Sears could be pitching Wednesday against Atlanta to keep his place.
The Padres also adjusted other pieces of their plan. Right-hander Randy Vásquez was originally scheduled to start on Wednesday. but San Diego bumped his start back to Friday’s series opener against the Dodgers. That shift would line Vásquez up—along with former Dodger Walker Buehler and Michael King (in that order)—to face Los Angeles this weekend.
For now, those names represent the Padres’ clearest picture of their rotation. “Right now, those are the Padres’ three best starters,” Stammen said. The other two spots have become a revolving door, and San Diego “hasn’t gotten much from that group.”
Perhaps Sears, or a healthy Márquez, can change that.
Giolito’s road to this moment has been rocky. It’s been an awkward first few months for him: he didn’t sign until late April and didn’t make his debut until mid-May. Across seven outings, he has posted a 5.16 ERA, and his velocity is down on all of his pitches.
Even so, the Padres are optimistic the IL stint won’t linger.
Giolito will be shut down from throwing briefly, then begin building his way back, potentially as soon as next week.
The timing also matters because Giolito’s history is not minor. He missed the 2024 season following elbow surgery. After a strong showing in ‘25 with the Red Sox, he was then shut down in late September and didn’t pitch in the postseason because of elbow inflammation.
“We’ve all pitched through a bunch of stuff in our careers,” Stammen said. “I’m sure Lucas has a ton. It’s probably what he was trying to do last year, and then it bit him in the backside — missed the playoffs and missed the [rest of] the season. So we’re just trying to stay out ahead of it.”
The bigger rotation problem for San Diego isn’t just Giolito’s IL placement. It’s what comes next—especially the wait for key starters returning from elbow injuries. The Padres’ long-term rotation outlook can be framed this way: they’re trying to stay afloat until they can get Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta back from their respective elbow injuries.
On Tuesday, the team got a sight that Stammen called “a great sign.” Both Pivetta and Musgrove played long toss in the outfield, another step in their slow progressions back to the mound. Neither is expected to return until the second half.
“They’ve got a long way to go,” Stammen said. “Long tossing is certainly a good sign. It’s a great sign. … We’ve got a while yet for them. But so far so good. It is a sight for sore eyes, seeing those guys.”
Still, elbow injuries come with no guarantees. The Padres could find themselves active at the Trade Deadline for starting pitching help if the need grows. particularly because outside of King. their rotation remains on shaky ground. Buehler has been a pleasant surprise, but still comes with question marks, and Vásquez has regressed lately.
In the near term, the path is simpler: with Giolito on the IL, Sears gets a real chance to make his case, and Márquez may soon get the same opportunity after another rehab outing with Triple-A El Paso.
All of it boils down to one immediate truth for a team trying to protect a fragile rotation: each start now carries extra weight, because every answer creates the next question.
Padres Lucas Giolito 15-day IL right elbow inflammation Jake Sears Germán Márquez Triple-A El Paso Randy Vásquez Walker Buehler Michael King Joe Musgrove Nick Pivetta rotation reshuffle