Nick Pivetta agrees to $55 million, 4-year contract with San Diego Padres, AP source says

By: Ronald Blum, The Associated Press Posted: 9:08 PM CST Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025

Nick Pivetta became the last of the high-profile free agent pitchers to reach an agreement this offseason, a backloaded $55 million, four-year contract with the San Diego Padres, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/02/2025 (271 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the deal, first reported by ESPN, was subject to a successful physical.

Pivetta gets a $3 million signing bonus and salaries of $1 million this year, $19 million in 2026, $14 million in 2027 and $18 million in 2028.

FILE - Boston Red Sox's starting pitcher Nick Pivetta walks to the dugout during the first inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

He can opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons to become a free agent again. He would have received $23 million if he ends the deal after two seasons and $37 million if he cuts it short after three.

A right-hander who turns 32 on Friday, Pivetta was 6-12 with a 4.14 ERA in 26 starts and one relief appearance last year for Boston. He turned down a $21.05 million qualifying offer from the Red Sox.

Pivetta is 56-71 with a 4.76 ERA in eight major league seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies (2017-20) and Red Sox, who acquired him in an August 2020 trade. His four-seam fastball averaged 93.9 mph and he threw it 48.6% of the time, mixing it with sweepers (25.7%), curveballs (16.3%), cutters (5.9%) and sliders (3.4%).

With the brothers and wife of late owner Peter Seidler fighting for control of the team, the Padres have had a rather quiet offseason, adding outfielders Jason Heyward and Connor Joe. San Diego was a finalist for Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki, who signed with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

Because Pivetta turned down a qualifying offer, Boston will receive an extra pick before the third round of the amateur draft in July and the Padres will lose their second-highest selection, currently No. 64, along with $500,000 in international signing bonus pool allocation for 2026.