Good Morning San Diego: Robert Suarez bounces back in non-save situation
Everything you need to know about your San Diego Padres on the morning of May
San Diego Padres Nick Pivetta’s free agent signing has gone perfectly
The Friar Faithful was initially stunned by the news of the San Diego Padres signing starting pitcher Nick Pivetta to a four-year/$ 55 million free agent deal. Now, they are more intrigued by him becoming a mainstay in the starting rotation.
Time for a change
Pivetta is considered slightly better than a journeyman starting pitcher. He has made 186 career starts but only two double-digit winning seasons in his 10-year major league career. The right-hander needed to make a dramatic change. Becoming a free agent for the first time allowed him to choose an organization based on mutual interest.
No one expected him to leave the Boston Red Sox last offseason. He had been a mainstay in their rotation since 2021. The Red Sox acquired Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox to become their No. 1 starter. The front office focused on signing their new ace to a long-term deal. It became impossible for Pivetta to gauge their interest in re-signing him.
The Padres were not the only team interested in signing Pivetta. The Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds met with him, but the Padres offered the most promising situation. The front office was honest about how they intended to utilize him in the rotation.
It was enough for Pivetta to say goodbye to Boston and hello to San Diego.
Trust the analytics provided
Pivetta’s early-season success relies on executing his pitching repertoire. It starts with the four-seam fastball (thrown 51%) followed by his sweeper (thrown 19%), and before you know it, a batter is walking back to the dugout.
Give him some time with Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla, who will expand his arsenal in future starts. He is mixing in his other pitches, as you need depth to become an effective starting pitcher. Pivetta has been throwing his curveball (thrown 17%), slider (thrown 8%), cutter (thrown 6%), and sinker (thrown 2%) more during the second time through the batting order.
He has embraced the process, as Pivetta has a 5-1 record with a 3.05 ERA in eight starts. Opposing hitters are batting .205 against him. He only allowed 33 hits in 44.1 IP, with batters striking out 27.7% of the time.
Results of this nature will put you in the conversation of an All-Star Game selection. He has been invaluable to the Padres early-season success. The hope is to keep hitters guessing, which is achieved by effectively using your entire pitching repertoire.
Pivetta took a gamble on himself, and it has paid off. Let’s see how the 2025 campaign plays out.
Give him some time with Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla, who will expand his arsenal in future starts. He is mixing in his other pitches, as you need depth to become an effective starting pitcher. Pivetta has been throwing his curveball (thrown 17%), slider (thrown 8%), cutter (thrown 6%), and sinker (thrown 2%) more during the second time through the batting order.
He has embraced the process, as Pivetta has a 5-1 record with a 3.05 ERA in eight starts. Opposing hitters are batting .205 against him. He only allowed 33 hits in 44.1 IP, with batters striking out 27.7% of the time.
Results of this nature will put you in the conversation of an All-Star Game selection. He has been invaluable to the Padres early-season success. The hope is to keep hitters guessing, which is achieved by effectively using your entire pitching repertoire.
Pivetta took a gamble on himself, and it has paid off. Let’s see how the 2025 campaign plays out.
The San Diego Padres are not getting enough offensive production from anyone playing in left field, especially Jason Heyward. Although the defense from both Heyward and right-handed outfielder Brandon Lockridge has been good, neither is carrying the offensive side adequately.
For the season Heyward sits .173/.226/.280 with 18 strikeouts to six walks. He has two home runs, two doubles and 12 RBI in 75 AB. Brandon Lockridge, as the right handed option the majority of the time, sits .234/.294/.319 with two RBI and four doubles in 47 AB. He has struck out nine times with four walks.