Pivetta's Elbow Just Went From Bad to Worse, and the Padres Are Bracing for Months Without Him
This is not good news coming out of San Diego. Nick Pivetta got an MRI on his right elbow after being pulled from Sunday's game, and the results showed exactly what the Padres did not want to see: a flexor strain. Manager Craig Stammen laid it out bluntly on Wednesday,Pivetta is looking at "weeks and maybe months" on the shelf, well beyond the standard 15-day injured list stay.
What Happened on Sunday
Pivetta was cruising through Sunday's 7-2 win over Colorado. He had retired his first nine batters and was sitting pretty in the fourth inning when stiffness in his pitching elbow forced him out of the game. Before he left the mound, he threw a 92.2 mph four-seam fastball on his 46th pitch,nearly 2 mph slower than his season average. That velocity dip was the red flag nobody wanted to see.
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Stammen told reporters Wednesday that the hope is Pivetta won't need surgery, but he's going to need serious time to heal. "He's going to take some time off throwing, let it rest, let it heal and then get back on a throwing program and a strengthening program," Stammen said. Translation: this isn't a quick fix. "It's probably going to be more weeks and maybe months than it is just specific days," the manager added, though he expressed confidence Pivetta will return this season.
The 33-year-old Pivetta is currently 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA. He signed a $55 million deal in February 2025 that includes opt-out provisions after 2026 and 2027. The contract also has a clause allowing San Diego to cut the deal short if Pivetta requires surgery related to this elbow injury and lands on the injured list for more than 130 consecutive days in any season.
Pivetta's Take
"It's really frustrating," Pivetta told reporters Wednesday. "I was feeling really well, felt like I was pitching better. I love contributing to the team, take great pride in playing baseball for the fans, playing for my teammates."
That's the sting of this injury. Pivetta was starting to find his rhythm. Now the Padres have to figure out how to absorb his absence for what could be a long stretch. This is the kind of gut punch that can derail a season.
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