The Padres placed pitcher Lucas Giolito on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right elbow inflammation and recalled JP Sears from Triple-A El Paso.Giolito will not pitch in this week's series against the Atlanta Braves or the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres announced left-hander Wandy Peralta will start the second game of the series at Petco Park.LHP Wandy Peralta will start tonight’s game vs. the Atlanta Braves.We have recalled LHP JP Sears from Triple-A El Paso and placed RHP Lucas Giolito on the 15-day IL (retro to June 22) with right elbow inflammation.— San Diego Padres (@Padres) June 23, 2026Giolito is 2-3 with a 5.16 ERA in seven games (five starts) this season for the Padres. Peralta is 1-0 with a 1.91 ERA in 32 games (two starts). The Padres are likely to deploy a caravan of relievers to get through nine innings after Peralta reaches his prescribed pitch count. Although he's started in the past, Peralta has not pitched more than 2.1 innings, or thrown more than 34 pitches, in a single game this season.The more concerning development is the injury to Giolito, who missed all of the 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. When he returned to the Boston Red Sox in 2025, Giolito put together a solid season, going 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts. But he lingered on the free agent market long into the offseason and through spring training.When he finally signed a one-year contract with San Diego on April 22, Giolito received a mere $3 million. Although he hasn't missed a start since, the injury raises questions about why Giolito might have had trouble finding a stronger offer sooner in free agency.Sears, a left-hander, had been starting at Triple-A El Paso. He figures to be the bulk reliever against Atlanta, which has had roughly equal success against lefties (.319 weighted on-base average) and righties (.323 wOBA) as a team.Sears, 30, was struggling mightily with the Chihuahuas — but especially against right-handed hitters, who owned a .348/.408/.571 slash line against him. Triple-A lefties were slashing .267/.349/.360 against Sears.How we're lining up tonight ⤵️#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/SoKWWt9KE5— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 23, 2026Against this backdrop, it only makes sense that the Padres would not send him out in the first inning against two strong left-handed hitters, Michael Harris II and Matt Olson, and switch-hitter Ozzie Albies.Sears went 2-2 with a 5.47 ERA in five starts for the Padres last season after they acquired him from the A's in the Mason Miller trade. Now he'll be an integral part of the Padres' pitching staff for at least a day — and possibly quite a bit longer.Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X/Twitter for the latest news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow