Padres Do Not Exercise Option on Nick Pivetta

The San Diego Padres have chosen not to exercise their team option on right-handed pitcher Nick Pivetta, making him a free agent. This decision was initially reported by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Pivetta was signed to a four-year, $55 million contract prior to the 2025 season, which included opt-outs after the 2026 and 2027 seasons. His injury absence this year, where he spent over 130 days on the injured list, influenced the team's decision regarding the $14 million option for 2027.

Despite the option not being picked up, there remains a possibility for Pivetta to return to the Padres, as indicated by President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller. Pivetta had a challenging season, making only four appearances before being sidelined with a flexor strain, but he performed well when healthy, achieving a 2.86 ERA over 34 2/3 innings across eight starts.