Brito is still recovering from the forearm strain he suffered this spring while recovering from the elbow sprain he picked up in 2024. He won’t be eligible to join the Padres until the end of May.

Brito finished last year on the injured list with a right elbow sprain and will head back to the shelf at the outset of the regular season. It’s unclear when he’ll be ready to rejoin San Diego’s pitching mix.

It’s a procedural move that probably shouldn’t be legal but it is. It clears a spot on the 40-man roster to allow the Padres to select the contract of Nick Ahmed rather than having to designate someone for assignment. Brito will compete for a roster spot for the Padres in 2025.

Brito pitched well Saturday with 2 1/3 scoreless frames against the Marlins, but the Padres will go with a fresher arm in the bullpen. In this case, it’s Sean Reynolds, who was recalled in the corresponding transaction.