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Former Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito is nearing his long-awaited MLB return and could make his San Diego Padres debut against the Seattle Mariners this weekend.

Former Boston Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito could make his long-delayed MLB return this weekend, with the San Diego Padres expected to activate the veteran right-hander for a potential debut against the Seattle Mariners.

A free agent after two seasons with the Red Sox, Giolito sat without a team until April 22, more than three weeks into the regular season. San Diego signed him to a one-year deal worth $2.8 million in base salary plus up to $5 million in incentives, with a mutual option for 2027, according to an Associated Press report. The possible return marks a significant moment in Giolito’s comeback after injuries and inconsistency derailed what once looked like one of baseball’s steadiest frontline pitching careers, creating renewed intrigue around whether the former Red Sox starter can still reclaim a meaningful MLB role.

Rather than joining San Diego’s rotation immediately, Giolito worked his often-injured arm back into what he hopes is major league shape at the minor league level. He made four starts totaling 17 innings with a 4.76 ERA — inconsistent overall, but trending in the right direction. His final tune-up was the best of the bunch: six innings, one run, three hits, and zero walks against the Athletics’ Double-A affiliate, according to MLB Trade Rumors‘ Steve Adams.

Giolito’s Minor League Tuneup and Padres Debut Timeline

The Padres signaled this week that the tuneup is complete. The San Diego Union-Tribune‘s Kevin Acee reported Tuesday that Giolito is expected to debut this weekend when San Diego travels to Seattle to face the Mariners.

“He brings a track record of a lot of success in the big leagues, and he’s still only 31 years old,” manager Craig Stammen said when San Diego made the signing official, as quoted by MLB.com. “Once he gets built up to throw 95 pitches or so, he’ll probably be coming here.”

Giolito’s promotion triggers a roster crunch with an obvious solution. Knuckleballer Matt Waldron has pitched to a 9.28 ERA through five appearances this season, surrendering 22 runs in 21⅓ innings. He holds no minor league options, meaning the only path off the active roster runs through a designated-for-assignment move.

Waldron Facing Padres Roster Consequences

Stammen called it “early” to discuss Waldron’s status when asked by reporters after Tuesday’s game. Waldron, for his part, read the situation plainly.

“Safe to say my ERA and my numbers aren’t too attractive right now. And I have no options, so I mean, yeah, that’s where I’ll leave it. I’m smart enough (to know),” Waldron said, as quoted by MLB Trade Rumors.

The 31-year-old Giolito enters San Diego with considerably more potential value than his offseason market suggested. After missing all of 2024 following UCL surgery, Giolito went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts for Boston last season, striking out 121 batters across 145 innings. A minor right elbow concern cost him a spot on the Red Sox’s Wild Card Series roster, and he carried that uncertainty into a free-agent market that never materialized, as MLB.com reported.

San Diego’s rotation gave him an opening. The Padres are without Yu Darvish for the full season, Nick Pivetta is out with a flexor strain, and Joe Musgrove recovering from a Tommy John setback. Giolito was an ace in his prime, a 2019 All-Star with the Chicago White Sox and a down-ballot Cy Young candidate three seasons running. This weekend, his quest to return to that form gets underway.