Frustration best describes the San Diego Padres’ current stretch in the 2026 season. The team has lost 11 of its last 12 games and fallen into third place in the National League West standings.

The blame can go all around; the Padres offense has been non-existent since Opening Day. The starting rotation has created a mess by allowing games to get out of reach before the bullpen can put the fire out. The hope is that Jhony Brito can provide a much-needed spark, as he is on the verge of returning to the majors.

Canning and Giolito have been ineffective

The last two weeks have been disastrous for the Friars’ starting rotation. They have posted a 5.12 ERA over the last 12 games. The team finished May with a 13-15 record and enters June with a rousing 0-5 mark.

Both Griffin Canning (0-4 with a 7.16 ERA) and Lucas Giolito (2-1 with a 4.86 ERA) have been ineffective as replacements for Nick Pivetta and German Marquez in the rotation. Most of their outings start strong, only to unravel with a costly home run or a sudden loss of commanding the strike zone. Neither can recover to limit the damage, nor can they wiggle out of jams.

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The frustration among the Friar Faithful is that both pitchers have regressed and fail to get key outs. Too often, they find themselves ambushed after challenging hitters with mistake pitches that major leaguers rarely miss.

Brito could make season debut in June

The Padres cannot squander too much more ground in the standings, as the call for Brito to come up cannot be too far away. He was activated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to El Paso. Brito completed his 30-day rehab window after missing last season for UCL brace and flexor tendon repair surgery.

The Friars split his rehab assignment between Peoria in the Arizona Complex League and the Friars’ Double-A affiliate, the San Antonio Missions. The results have been encouraging.

In six starts, Brito posted a 3.33 ERA over 24.1 innings pitched, but he threw between 50 and 60 pitches in each outing. His return to the majors is contingent on Brito restoring his arm strength during his current minor league stay.

Also, the Padres must monitor his walk-to-strike ratio, as his control has been outstanding thus far. Brito has thrown a heavy sinker, changeup, and the occasional fastball that limited hard contact in his rehab starts.

Adding stability to the starting rotation would be ideal, but not at the risk of Brito sustaining another arm injury. He may have an innings limit as part of the long-term recovery process. The front office must determine whether his value is greater in the bullpen or the starting rotation.

The clock is ticking on the 2026 season. The Friars cannot allow Canning and Giolito to string along more bad outings before making a change.

Brito is ready to contribute.