Padres find unexpected rotation answer in JP Sears after Lucas Giolito lands on IL

The Padres sent JP Sears to the mound for the June 24 series finale against the Braves prepared for every possible outcome. If he gave them solid innings, great. If it went sideways, we all know they were ready to pull the plug before the game got out of hand.

Sears’ season debut felt bigger than the Padres beating the Braves 5-2. He gave them 5 2/3 innings after being recalled only a day earlier when Lucas Giolito landed on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation.

JP Sears gave the Padres exactly the kind of start they needed

Let’s not say that Sears was dominant. He didn’t carve through the lineup.  He allowed five hits, two walks and two runs. The Braves finally got him for a Joey Bart two-run homer after a walk to Austin Riley. But it was a bend, don’t break kind of start.  He threw 81 pitches, 53 for strikes, struck out five and gave the Padres a much needed normal game. 

When Giolito went down, the Padres were staring at another rotation moment that could have spiraled quickly. And with uncertainty on who the patch could be this time, Sears was the guy to show up and fill-in. We don’t know if that means he’ll earn another turn in the rotation. He’s been pretty stop and go since the Padres acquired him at the trade deadline last season. But for now, the Padres can entertain the idea that they may have found an arm that could be useful at this moment. 

Circling back to 2025 is exactly why we need to keep the brakes close. Sears’ first run with the Padres last season wasn’t exactly clean. He came over from the Athletics in the blockbuster deadline deal that also brought Mason Miller to San Diego, and his first taste of the NL West was uneven.

In five starts on four separate stints with the Padres in 2025, Sears posted a 2-2 record with a 5.47 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 24 2/3 innings. His initial debut was rough, allowing five runs on 10 hits over five innings against the Diamondbacks. Then he was sent right back to Triple-A El Paso.

Still, Sears has a chance to make the most of this opportunity. The Padres are trying to stay in the playoff picture, and how stable the rotation is will determine how aggressive they can be heading toward the trade deadline. If Sears can be a legitimate option, even temporarily, that changes the pressure on the roster. 

And with the way this season has tested the Padres’ pitching depth, breathing room is valuable.

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