On Wednesday, JP Sears became the 20th pitcher to appear in a game this season for the San Diego Padres . Only one team has used fewer pitchers in 2026.
Like the St. Louis Cardinals , who have used only 19 pitchers, pitcher health has been a key to the Padres' early success. Pitching depth is not a strong suit of the organization. Yet with 17 games on their schedule in the next 17 days, the Padres will probably dip into their reserves at Triple-A El Paso for coverage.
According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune , Jhony Brito is likely to return to the big leagues during the upcoming marathon. The right-hander missed all of 2025 recovering from internal brace surgery and a flexor tendon repair in his right elbow, but is healthy and pitching well.
Brito has made nine minor league starts this season and appears fully recovered. In four Double-A starts, he went 2-0 with a 1.96 ERA. Brito struck out only five batters at Double-A San Antonio, but his swing-and-miss ability ticked up at Triple-A El Paso.
In three starts with the Padres' top farm team, Brito has allowed only two runs in 13.2 innings, good for a 1.32 ERA. He's walked seven and struck out 13.
The Padres acquired Brito in the December 2023 Juan Soto trade , but haven't seen him in the majors since he pitched 26 games out of the bullpen in 2024.
In his only season in San Diego , Brito went 1-2 with a 4.12 ERA. Only six Padres relievers accumulated more fWAR than Brito, despite a relatively low 15.7% strikeout rate.
As a rookie in 2023, Brito went 9-7 in 25 games (13 starts) for the New York Yankees . Only three pitchers logged more innings that season for the Yankees.
The Padres had some interest in stretching him out as a starter after acquiring him in the Soto trade. By spring training of 2025, however, he was ticketed for their bullpen.
It remains to be seen how the Padres use him this year. The struggles from the starting rotation could have him slot in as a spot starter. He could also be a long relief option.
Brito's repertoire includes a two-seam fastball that averaged 95.4 mph in his last start, as well as a four-seamer, changeup, slider, sweeper and curveball.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/padres/onsi as Padres Expected to Call Up Pitcher Who Hasn't Pitched in MLB Since 2024 .
