The Padres placed starter Nick Pivetta on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to April 13, with elbow inflammation. Reliever Alek Jacob is up from Triple-A El Paso to take the open spot on the pitching staff.
Pivetta left Sunday’s win over Colorado after three perfect innings due to elbow stiffness. Manager Craig Stammen told reporters (including Annie Heilbrunn of The San Diego Union-Tribune) that the team is awaiting imaging results. That’ll eventually shed some light on his injury and a recovery timeline.
For now, Pivetta joins Joe Musgrove and Griffin Canning on the injured list. Musgrove has yet to throw from a mound. Canning is on a rehab assignment but will probably need close to the full 30 days in his return from last season’s Achilles tear.
Matt Waldron also began the season on the injured list, but he’s likely to return this week. The out-of-options knuckleballer will replace Pivetta in the starting five, Stammen said (relayed by AJ Cassavell of MLB.com). Michael King will go tonight, with Randy Vásquez and Walker Buehler theoretically on schedule for the next two days. Germán Márquez would be on track for Friday’s series opener against the Angels. Pivetta’s spot would come back around on Saturday. The Padres could keep Waldron on the injured list until then if they want an extra reliever in the interim.
Pivetta’s health is the big picture concern. He’s coming off a sixth place finish in NL Cy Young balloting. That earned him the Opening Day nod this season. Pivetta has recorded 24 strikeouts over his first 16 innings, allowing a 4.50 earned run average. In addition to his evident importance to the San Diego staff, he’s one of the better potential free agent pitchers in next winter’s class. Pivetta can opt out of the remaining two years and $32MM on his contract, which would be an easy call if he’s healthy.
No need to rush anyone
You have Jacob up
I’d go
Marinaccio for 2-3 innings
Hart/Peralta for 2-3 innings
Jacob for an inning if need be
If you can get 5 innings 3 or less runs out of the bunch the next two starts for Pivetta I’d consider that a win
Then
Bradgley
Adam/Morgan
Morejon
Miller
I’m holding out hope for a Matt Waldron second half career surge. It’s fun to watch the guy pitch
Not many remember but just 2 years ago he was the guy that held the rotation together.
Big loss for the Padres. Buehler will have to get it rolling if the Padres want to keep the winning streak alive into the weekend.
Great game tonight, King vs Woo, Mariners have a 4-game winning streak on the line. Padres have a 5-game winning streak on the line.
Buehler went 6 innings of shutout ball in his last start. That was against the Rockies so he probably won’t repeat that often but obviously he still has it in him.
It’s pretty weird to see a pitcher come of a game with an injury after throwing 3 percent innings.
Usually it’s quite the opposite.
The times we live in. A 4-5 mph drop in velocity on 1 pitch tells them something just went wrong. Generation ago when guys weren’t throwing max effort every pitch it wasn’t considered a red flag.
How is it that, “Musgrove has yet to throw from a mound”? His injury happened in the 2024 playoffs. This team really needs some semblance of “burning red ears Joe Musgrove”.
Just don’t sign Giolito. You will regret it. His arm is questionable at best.