Lincoln Zdunich
The free agency saga of Lucas Giolito has finally come to an end.
After being one of the top-rated free agents heading into the 2026 season, his offseason was relatively sparse. Despite interest from a number of clubs, his agents couldn’t seem to find a number they liked at any point in the offseason.
That changed this morning, as the San Diego Padres announced their signing of Giolito on X. The move is a way for the Friars to bolster their rotation after Nick Pivetta landed on the injured list for the indeterminate future. He’ll be able to join the club around mid-May.
Giolito needs to be added to the roster within 25 days of his signing. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that he’ll open his season with Low-A Lake Elsinore. That’s likely so that the Padres’ coaching staff can evaluate him after the offseason. Giolito has said on numerous occasions that he has been pitching throughout his time off, but the trainers will still want to check out his stuff.
Salary Ramifications for the Friars
It’s been reported that the contract is worth $3 million and is prorated. That means that the Friars are only paying Giolito for the time he’s spent with them (not for the portion of the season that he’s missed thus far).
If that amount is correct, it would be a steal for San Diego. General manager A.J. Preller has overpaid in the past. Starting pitching is also at a premium across MLB, so to see one of the top-rated free agent pitchers go for $3 million as late as April 22 is surprising.
Giolito has been a great back-end option for the Boston Red Sox the last few years. That culminated in a career-best 3.41 ERA in 2025. There was speculation that that wouldn’t last, with his underlying metrics painting a different picture. But the Padres (and their lack of starting pitching depth) are willing to bet on the right-hander.
Over the years, he’s dealt with a myriad of injuries that have kept him off the mound. The Padres are hoping to get a full, healthy season from Giolito. If that’s the case, he’ll factor as a depth option through the rest of 2026. It’s possible that he ends up shuttling between the majors and minors once everyone is healthy. But if Giolito competes well enough to earn a spot, the Friars may have no choice but to keep him around.
