SEATTLE — Lucas Giolito was signed to add stability to the Padres’ rotation.
For him, his season debut is a return to normalcy.
“I’m just excited to be back out there to help a really good team win baseball games,” Giolitio said Saturday. “It was kind of a surreal offseason, kind of leaking into spring training and the season. Really appreciative of the Padres giving me the opportunity. I already was pretty good friends with a number of guys on the team, so I feel like I’m fitting right in, not really losing a beat. “
Giolito signed a one-year deal with the Padres on April 22 after sitting out through spring training while not getting any offers he felt were commensurate with what he can provide. He makes his debut Sunday against the Mariners having pitched in four minor-league games, the last of them on May 10 for Double-A San Antonio in which he threw 74 pitches over six innings.
“It was definitely different,” Giolito said. “I definitely appreciate a true spring training, and I hope I can have that next year. But at the same time, it was very productive. As soon as I signed the contract, got into communication with the pitching (coaches) … and we pinpointed some things to work on during my time in the minor leagues. Started a little rough, and then each start got a little bit better, got more acclimated to game speed and rhythm and tempo and all those kinds of things. So I feel ready to go.”
The Padres guaranteed Giolito close to $3 million with the opportunity to make up to almost $8 million because they need what he has brought over most of his eight full big-league seasons.
“Experience,” manager Craig Stammen said. “Been there, done that. He knows what it is like to go through a full season pitching well in the big leagues. I think that’s his biggest attribute that he brings is knowing how to get outs in the big leagues.”
The 31-year-old right-hander is coming off a season with the Red Sox in which he posted a 3.41 ERA while working 145 innings over 26 starts.
Giolito made it through at least seven innings five times, pitched into the seventh two other times and completed six innings seven times. He went at least 5 ⅔ innings and allowed no more than two runs in half his starts.
“That’s been a huge part of my career is being willing to take the ball and go as deep as possible,” said Giolito, who has topped 160 innings five times. “I’ll keep pitching until the manager says it’s time to hand it off, and I’m cool with that. It’s absolutely a point of emphasis for me is doing everything in between starts to maintain my health and strength and then go out there and you know give it my all each time, do my best to pitch efficiently and get deep in the games.”
The Padres are without Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta, both sidelined by elbow issues, for at least the first half of the season after projecting them to be anchors in their rotation. Germán Márquez is also on the injured list with a forearm issue.
They rank 27th in the major leagues with 10 quality starts. Over the 21 games leading up to Saturday, they got six innings from a starter just six times — three from Michael King and one apiece from Walker Buehler, Randy Vásquez and Márquez. In that time, they had a starter or bulk reliever go at least five innings while allowing fewer than two runs another four times.
“I feel ready to throw,” Giolito said. “I could throw 100 pitches tomorrow. I’d be cool with that. I’m not sure what the plans are. … I look forward to the opportunity to continue to build up and keep pushing that pitch count a little bit further.”