As starting pitchers go, Nick Pivetta has always been an enigma. He flashed great stuff during his stints with the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox, but Pivetta has never been able to put it all together.
But his approach with the San Diego Padres is changing all that. Pivetta is working the top of the strike zone with high heat, and his counterpoint is a nasty curveball that changes both the horizontal and vertical angle for hitters, according to an MLB Network breakdown.
The combination has made him a rotation staple in San Diego, and the 32-year-old right-hander has been dominant during many of his 26 starts. Moreover, his innings count is fast-approaching Pivetta’s high-water mark of 179+ with the Red Sox back in 2022.
The Padres are more than happy with his work to date. They gambled on the previously erratic Pivetta to the tune of $55 million over four years during the offseason, and that signing is starting to look like a serious bargain. Pivetta was offered a $21 million qualifying offer by the Red Sox at the end of lat year, and his decision to bet on himself is proving to be smart for him, too.
He’s also keeping some excellent company when it comes to other starters. Pivetta’s current OPS of just .574 has him just above starters like Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes and Nate Eovaldi. He’s using a combination of heat and movement to be among the best in baseball, and Pivetta is also using his size to go downhill on hitters in ways that are tough to overcome. His cutter is an effective show pitch as well, and it forces hitters to make difficult choices.
Breaking down Pivetta’s stuff is a fun exercise in pitching speed and geometry, but let’s not forget the heart of the matter here. Pivetta spent nine years pitching in band box parks in Philly and Boston, and escaping from the pitching pressure cooker in those cities to take advantage of Petco’s friendly dimensions is a big part of his success in San Diego, too.
Pivetta has never seemed comfortable in the limelight, and he’s set himself up for the long haul in San Diego. He’s also pitching for a team with the best bullpen in baseball, and that’s helped remove some of the pressure.
Pivetta’s next start will be in Citi Field against the New York Mets next Wednesday, and he’ll be well-rested going into that outing. The Padres have been taking good care of Pivetta and monitoring his workload, and he will definitely play a big role in their postseason fortunes.