SAN DIEGO -- The Padres’ already-thin starting rotation is getting an early test.
Right-hander Nick Pivetta landed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, ahead of San Diego’s series opener against Seattle on Tuesday at Petco Park. Pivetta, who exited his start against the Rockies on Sunday, underwent an MRI on Tuesday.
“We’re trying to be cautious with Nick, and I think the smartest move was to not push him,” manager Craig Stammen said. “Give him some time on the IL, and then figure it out from there.”
Right-hander Matt Waldron will be activated to take Pivetta’s place in the rotation this weekend, but in the meantime, righty reliever Alek Jacob was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to take Pivetta’s place on the roster.
Pivetta’s status
The extent of Pivetta’s injury remains unclear, though Stammen continued to express optimism and noted again that the team was merely being cautious in its handling of him. The results of the MRI, Stammen said, are still being sorted through by team doctors.
“We’re still trying to figure out exactly what’s going on,” Stammen said. “Medical team’s going through the process. And then we’ll probably have some more information coming up in the next couple days.”
As such, there’s not yet a timetable on Pivetta’s potential return -- other than the fact that he’ll be out for at least the next couple weeks. It stands to reason it could be longer than that. Pivetta missed a start in Spring Training with what the team called “arm fatigue.” If the Padres want to ensure there’s no recurrence, a longer stint on the IL might be necessary.
Then again, that’s mostly conjecture. Pivetta’s status moving forward is very much TBD.
Replacing Pivetta in the rotation
In no uncertain terms, it’s a major blow for the Padres’ rotation. Pivetta was their best starting pitcher last season, posting a 2.87 ERA and earning a sixth-place finish in National League Cy Young voting. He was San Diego’s Game 1 starter in the NL Wild Card Series last year and the Opening Day starter last month.
“Nick’s obviously one of our best pitchers,” Stammen said. “To lose him is going to be big, even for a short amount of time.”
Waldron is the immediate replacement, and there’s reason to believe he could be in for a bounceback in 2026. Waldron missed the early part of Spring Training due to a medical procedure and wasn’t built up enough to make the Opening Day roster.
But his stuff looked sharp in the Cactus League, and in three rehab starts with El Paso, he did not allow a run. Waldron’s fastball velocity has ticked up into the mid-90s, and he’s been using his knuckleball more unpredictably.
The decision to activate Waldron was the obvious one, the moment Pivetta landed on the IL. Stammen noted there’s been no decision yet regarding a specific date, but Waldron noted he’s preparing to pitch on Friday.
“I really feel for Nick,” Waldron said. “Nobody wants it more than him. But it’s a great opportunity, and I want to be as effective as I can.”
Still, the question marks aren’t so much about Waldron as they are about the back end of the rotation as a whole. The performances of Walker Buehler and Germán Márquez have been up-and-down in the first three turns through.
The big picture
Despite concerns about the rotation, the Padres are off to an excellent start. Their 10-6 record entering play Tuesday is tied for the second-best record in the Majors. The offense is starting to mash. The bullpen ought to be one of the best in baseball.
If there’s one place where this thing goes off the rails … it’s probably in the rotation.
Which is why it’s no surprise that the Padres have been linked to free-agent right-hander Lucas Giolito, as first reported by The Athletic. They’ve had interest in Giolito for a while, but with Pivetta on the IL, it stands to reason that interest could grow.
In the meantime, Griffin Canning is on the way back from a left Achilles tear he suffered last summer with the Mets. He threw a bullpen session at Petco Park on Tuesday and would likely require another couple rehab outings before a potential early-May return.
The impending return of Joe Musgrove, meanwhile, is murkier. Musgrove hasn’t thrown off a mound since a spring setback in his return from Tommy John surgery.
“We’re just trying to be very smart, not overdo it and take it too fast,” Stammen said of Musgrove.
The long and short of it is: The Padres have options. But almost all of those options come with question marks. The sooner they can get Nick Pivetta healthy, the better.