Padres Sign Lucas Giolito, Shake Up Rotation

0:00On April 23rd, the San Diego Padres just beefed up their starting rotation by signing Lucas Giolito to a one-year deal worth $3 million, packed with incentives. This move came quick after Nick Povetta hit the injured list, leaving their pitching staff stretched thin. Giolito, the top free agent starter out there, brings serious heat after a strong 2025 season, where he went 10 wins and 4 losses. With a 3.41 ERA, over 145 innings. Now this signing puts three guys on notice, Matt Waldron, Walker-Bueller and German Marquez. Waldron jumped in for Povetta, but got rocked in his 2026 debut, giving up six earn runs and 3.2 innings against the Angels. Bueller's sitting at a rough 5.75 ERA, over five starts, including a brutal 2.2 inning mess against the Rockies. Marquez has the best numbers at 3.86 ERA, but even he's sweating.

1:00Padres manager Craig Stamman is hyped, calling Giolito a young 31-year-old with a proven track record. Fans in the front office see this as a smart ad for depth, especially with Bueller on a minor league pack from the off season. But it means tough cuts ahead, shaking up the whole rotation by him. Giolito starts ramping up in single A Lake Elsinore and could debut by mid-May. Meanwhile, Griffin canning might return even sooner, forcing the Padres to drop two starters. They might roll with a six-man rotation to fit everyone, but none of Waldron, Bueller or Marquez can head to triple A without hitting waivers. Expect some roster drama as Prella sorts this out, balancing fresh arms with vets who need to step up or ship out. The friars stay aggressive, chasing that playoff push. That's the story for today, MLB News Today, driven by AI.