Padres Trade Deadline Addition Gets Honest About Being Demoted After One Game

Aug 4, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher JP Sears (38) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres sent starting pitcher J.P. Sears down to Triple-A after just one start following his arrival from the Athletics at the trade deadline.

The Padres demoted Sears after he allowed five runs in as many innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks Aug. 4.

He came back up Wednesday to start against the San Francisco Giants, and allowed just one run through six innings on his way to his first win in a Padres jersey.

“I kind of just tried to focus on — the last couple days, weeks — just kind of reminded myself who I was, kind of what my game plan is every time going out there, how my pitches work well,” Sears said. “… It was just about going out there and executing and trusting myself.”

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Sears hadn't pitched in the minor leagues since the 2022 season, when he made just one start in Triple-A after the A's traded for him at the deadline.

“It’s a big part of the game,” Sears said of remaining focused in the minors. “For me here, it’s just being thankful for any opportunity. And tonight, I was ready to go and just felt like my job here is just to help this team out, win any way we can and no matter what my role is.”

Sears also took a different approach on the mound, throwing 22 changeups on the night or 24 percent of the time. He uses it an average of 16 percent on the season, and had only thrown it more in one other start this season.

“I learned some new things,” he said. “Like, just my thought process behind it just the delivery of it — just trying to really keep my delivery much the same with my fastball. I was just working on the quality of the pitch and then being able to really trust it and having good arm speed with it, just not trying not to guide it and just trying to trust it.”

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The Padres will hope Sears can continue to produce for them on the mound, as they are still neck and neck with the Dodgers in the NL West. They will face the Dodgers in a three-game series which begins on Friday at 6:40 p.m. PT.

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