SAN DIEGO -- Through Nick Pivetta’s first four starts this season, it was clear he was picking up right where he left off from his career-best 2025 campaign, one that saw him finish sixth in National League Cy Young Award voting … only for it to be derailed by a right elbow injury in April that cost him nearly five months.
But upon his return on Sept. 7, Pivetta reassumed the version of himself that was prevalent throughout last year, putting a lengthy rehab behind him and leaving no doubt that he was fully ready to contribute on the biggest stage.
Pivetta was tabbed to start Game 2 of the NL Wild Card Series on Wednesday night against the Cubs, one year to the day after he faced them in Game 1 of last year’s Wild Card Series at Wrigley Field.
This time, though, he’ll have the Petco Park crowd behind him.
“We're very lucky to have such a great fan base here,” Pivetta said. “From what I've heard from the guys that have played here before, I'm expecting great things and very excited for it. Just trying to keep all my focus on the game, but enjoy those moments, too, with those fans and try to bring the championship home for them.”
Since returning from the injured list, Pivetta has looked a lot like the guy who posted a 2.87 ERA across 31 starts in ‘25. He allowed a mere three runs over 18 2/3 innings over four starts, good for a 1.45 ERA. He delivered 4 2/3 scoreless frames against the Dodgers in Los Angeles his last time out, helping the Padres secure their third consecutive trip to the postseason that night.
“High level of confidence with Nick, what a road he’s been on this year,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “For him, when it didn’t look great at the beginning of the season, to put in the work over an entire season and not know if he’s ever going to get back … now he’s [been] one of our best pitchers down the stretch.”
The four-start runway Pivetta had allowed him to build up to full pitch count (he threw 87 pitches in his last start), meaning there should be zero limitations for him this postseason.
Of course, the Padres almost certainly won’t need him to go a full four or five innings, given their elite bullpen that was pieced together specifically to help shorten games in the playoffs -- a formula that San Diego has deployed with great success in its previous seasons and seems poised to do once more.
But Pivetta’s postseason track record is nothing to scoff at.
He was brilliant for the Red Sox during their playoff run in 2021 that saw him come out of the bullpen in the American League Division Series against the Rays before he twirled five innings of one-run ball against the eventual World Series champion Astros in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series. And, of course, he held the Cubs to just two runs over five innings and struck out nine in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series last year, capping off an excellent first season in San Diego.
That Chicago lineup will be a little different this time -- much stronger, for one. He’ll have to navigate a top of the order that includes the likely NL MVP in center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and a surging Alex Bregman, who posted a 1.010 OPS in the second half.
“It's a whole lineup; they make good contact, they don't swing outside of the zone,” Pivetta said. “They have guys in there that jell really well together, led by Bregman. It's just trying to keep them off-balance, but always sticking to my strengths and doing what I do best and just see where that night goes.”
Pivetta is up for the challenge.
“I'm healthy, I'm feeling good and I'm excited for the next step,” he said.