Padres Sign Pivetta to Four-Year Deal Amid Offseason Challenges

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The San Diego Padres fulfilled a crucial need in their starting rotation on Wednesday by agreeing to terms on a four-year, $55 million contract with veteran right-hander Nick Pivetta, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Pivetta’s deal is pending a physical exam and includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons. The structure of the contract features a $3 million signing bonus and a minimal salary of $1 million in 2025, followed by salaries of $19 million in 2026, $14 million in 2027, and $18 million in 2028, as reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. This strategy is designed to help the Padres manage their payroll, which is projected to be around $194 million for 2025, a significant increase of roughly $30 million from last season’s Opening Day figures.

As Pivetta turns 32 on Friday, he is expected to slide into the Padres’ starting rotation behind returning pitchers Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Blake Snell. This decision leaves arms like Adrian Morejon and others vying for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Pivetta, who has emerged as one of the more reliable starting pitchers in free agency, has earned praise for his durability and ability to generate strikeouts. Over the past four seasons, he has averaged 156 innings pitched, posted a 4.33 ERA, and struck out 26.9 percent of hitters he faced. In 2023, Pivetta recorded a 4.14 ERA across 145⅔ innings, achieving the lowest walk rate of his career at 6.1 percent.

General Manager A.J. Preller has faced a relatively quiet offseason following the Padres’ defeat to the eventual champions in the National League Division Series. Preller’s only major league roster addition before this contract was the return of catcheroms recently. The Padres also made a move to secure the services of outfielders Michael Conforto and others to establish a left-field platoon.

With this signing at the outset of spring training, the Pivetta agreement marks the first significant move in the Padres’ offseason strategy. This acquisition is particularly vital considering the absence of frontline starter Fernando Tatis Jr., who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire season.