The wait is finally over for San Diego Padres fans—Lucas Giolito is set to make his season debut this weekend against the Seattle Mariners.

The veteran right-hander had an extended offseason, signing with the Padres on April 22 after missing the entire 2024 season due to an internal brace repair procedure. Since then, he's been building up arm strength with four minor league starts, and according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Giolito is now ready to take the mound for the big league club.

Giolito's return is a welcome boost for a Padres rotation looking for consistency. The 2019 All-Star with the Chicago White Sox showed he still has plenty left in the tank during the 2025 season with the Boston Red Sox, where he made 26 starts and posted a solid 3.41 ERA with 121 strikeouts over 145 innings.

His call-up, however, means the Padres face a tough roster decision. The likeliest move, as reported by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, would be to send knuckleballer Matt Waldron out of the rotation. Waldron has struggled mightily since returning from the injured list, posting a 9.28 ERA over 21 1/3 innings across five appearances, allowing 32 hits and seven walks.

Giolito's debut this weekend gives San Diego a proven arm with postseason experience, and fans will be eager to see if he can recapture the form that made him one of the game's most reliable starters before his injury layoff. It's a pivotal moment for a Padres team looking to make a push in a competitive division.