8:16pm CT: Acee notes in a follow-up post that there are questions about the health of Pivetta’s elbow. He added that declining the option was expected and the team and player could still work out a new deal.
7:24pm CT: The Padres have decided not to pick up right-hander Nick Pivetta’s team option, as first reported by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. He’s now a free agent.
San Diego signed Pivetta to a four-year, $55MM contract heading into the 2025 season. The original stipulations of the deal gave the veteran righty opt-outs after 2026 and 2027. However, an extended injury absence this year changed the arrangement.
Since Pivetta spent more than 130 days on the injured list this year, the Padres were given a $14MM option for 2027. It’s not a massive price tag, but Pivetta’s injury history likely gave the club some hesitation. The decision doesn’t mean he won’t be back with the team, as the sides could work out a new agreement. President of baseball operations A.J. Preller hinted at the possibility a couple of weeks ago.
Pivetta made it through four appearances before hitting the IL in mid-April with a flexor strain. He had setbacks in his rehab process and didn’t make it back to the majors until early September. Pivetta was effective when available, pitching to a 2.86 ERA backed by a 3.18 xFIP and a 3.17 SIERA. He tossed 34 2/3 innings across eight starts. Pivetta added another 7 2/3 frames in the postseason.
The 2026 campaign wasn’t Pivetta’s first time dealing with a flexor issue. He had a similar strain in 2024 with the Red Sox. He still made 27 starts that year, but the injury affected his free agency. Pivetta’s agreement with San Diego gave him the opportunity to return to the market if he pitched well and stayed healthy, while also protecting the team from a recurrence of the arm issues.
Pivetta delivered his biggest workload as a big leaguer in the first year of the contract. He tossed a career-high 181 2/3 innings in the regular season, then tacked on five more innings in the playoffs. Pivetta recorded a strong 2.86 ERA across 31 starts. He finished sixth in Cy Young voting.
Bringing back Pivetta was more than a $14MM question. He also had a $18MM player option for 2028, which factors into the calculus. Even if Preller and company want to bring him back, it makes sense to try to work out an adjusted deal.
San Diego has a thin rotation as things currently stand. With Michael King and Walker Buehler hitting free agency along with Pivetta, the remaining options with big-league experience are Joe Musgrove, Randy Vasquez, JP Sears, and Jhony Brito.
Photo courtesy of Denis Poroy, Imagn Images