Padres pregame: Alek Jacob joins the bullpen as JP Sears optioned to El Paso

The Padres will again have a nine-man bullpen for a few days.

Left-hander JP Sears was optioned to Triple-A El Paso as the Padres recalled right-hander Alek Jacob before Tuesday’s 6:40 p.m. start in Seattle.

The 29-year-old old Sears allowed four runs — three earned — in 3⅔ innings in a no-decision on Monday. That was on the heels of six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Giants after returning from a stint with Triple-A El Paso.

Right-hander Michael King is expected to make another rehab start/sim game before coming off the injured list, likely after rosters expand in September. In the meantime, right-hander Randy Vásquez is a candidate to make another start in the majors when Sears’ turn comes up again Sunday in Minnesota.

Sears has a 5.01 ERA in 125⅔ innings in the majors this year in his time with the Athletics and Padres.

Vásquez has a 3.96 ERA in 111⅓ innings this year in the majors. He last pitched on Aug. 23 for Triple-A El Paso, throwing five shutout innings.

Jacob has a 6.39 ERA in 25⅓ innings this year in the majors and a 5.32 ERA in 23 ⅔ innings at Triple-A El Paso.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

Game 2 in Seattle. pic.twitter.com/jZh69kyx3m

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 26, 2025

Back at it for another electric night at the ballpark pic.twitter.com/H3qFhHOq2f

— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 26, 2025

Tuesday’s pitching matchup

Padres RHP Dylan Cease (6-11, 4.71 ERA)

He has a 4.19 ERA through four starts in August, leading the Padres to a 3-1 record this month. Cease has a 5.65 ERA in 13 starts away from Petco Park. His only appearance against the Mariners was a no-decision in 2019 in which he allowed a run over five innings.

Here is how Cease has fared against current Mariners:

Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (8-7, 3.83 ERA)

He has a 6.05 ERA in four starts so far this month, including allowing three runs on 10 hits, tied for a season high, in four innings. Castillo hasn’t faced the Padres since 2022 (6 IP, 0 ER, 9 Ks). He is 3-3 with a 3.13 ERA in 46 innings in his career against San Diego.

Here is how Castillo has fared against current Padres: