Padres sign free-agent starter Lucas Giolito

Kevin Acee, The San Diego Union-Tribune on Apr 22, 2026

Published in Baseball

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DENVER — The Padres bought some insurance for their starting rotation.

Lucas Giolito, the last remaining quality free-agent starting pitcher on the market, was signed Wednesday to a one-year deal and will spend time building up with low-A Lake Elsinore before joining the team in mid-May.

Giolito, who will also be at Petco Park working with the Padres’ staff in the coming weeks, has to be placed on the active roster by May 16.

Giolitio can make slightly more than $7.1 million in 2026. That is based on the prorated portion of a $3 million guaranteed salary and a $5 million in reported incentives. The deal includes a mutual option for 2027, but those are virtually never exercised.

The 31-year-old right-hander posted a 3.41 ERA over 26 starts (145 innings) for the Red Sox in 2025 in what was by some measures the best season of a career that began in 2016. Giolito, who missed the ‘24 season after an internal brace procedure to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow, has a 4.30 ERA over 206 games (204 starts) pitching for the Nationals, White Sox, Angels, Guardians and Red Sox.

The Padres continually checked in on Giolito throughout the spring and into the season. Eventually, the sides aligned based on the team’s needs and Giolito’s desire to pitch.

The Padres enter Wednesday’s game against the Rockies with a 16-7 record, tied with the Dodgers for the lead in the National League West and tied with the Dodgers for the best record in the major leagues.

However, the sustainability of their success is in question due to the state of their starting rotation.

Elbow issues have sidelined Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove, two of the three pitchers the Padres expected to anchor their rotation. Both are expected to be out at least for the next several weeks, with the possibility that their absence extends into the summer or beyond.

Griffin Canning, who was signed in February, is scheduled to make his fourth rehab start tonight for Triple-A El Paso. Canning is working back from Achilles surgery in June. His rehab assignment ends May 3, and he is expected to make his Padres debut shortly thereafter.

The Padres turned to Matt Waldron to take Pivetta’s spot in the rotation. Waldron allowed the Angels six runs in 3 2/3 on Friday against the Angels. He is scheduled to start again Thursday against the Rockies at Coors Field.