Finally Pivotal

 

There is some sort of magic in the water in San Diego, especially in relation to starting pitching. They can take guys that people have written off and make them into the best pitchers in the game. We saw it with Seth Lugo and Nick Martinez a few years back. We saw it with Michael King after the Soto deal, and honestly with Randy Vazquez to a degree. We saw it with Blake Snell over the course of an entire contract in San Diego. And now we're seeing it with Nick Pivetta. Whatever the Phillies pitching coaches do to guys, or at least the bullpen coaches, the Padres' pitching coaches do the opposite.

Nick Pivetta was always a great pitcher in concept but had the hardest time pulling things together. Even in 2022, the closest thing Pivetta's had to a truly dominant season, he went 10-12 for the Red Sox. He got so persnickety that the Sox moved him to the bullpen, then brought him back due to lack of options. And last year he did pretty well for himself, notching 170 Ks or more for the fourth straight season. 

So far in 2025, however, Pivetta's on track for a new career mark. He's 6-2, with a a 2.74 ERA, 71 Ks and a 1.8 WAR. Pivetta, in a rotation with Michael King, Yu Darvish and Dylan Cease in it, has been the surest bet every time. Not that Cease is doing badly, he's struck out 78, but he's 1-4 through 12 starts. He's got a 4.66 ERA. Whatever he eventually found last year, he hasn't gotten to yet. Pivetta, meanwhile, has been the big game guy for the Padres through 2 months, and has been a welcome distraction from the gaping hole in the back half of the rotation [which Stephen Kolek is currently trying his best to fill]. The idea is that King and Darvish will be back soon [and Matt Waldron will be back eventually I hope], and any jitters will be dealt with.

But as it stands, the back half of May was not a great time for the Padres. They're 6-9 since May 15th, after starting the season at an unstoppable pace at home, and the worry is that things are slowing down. Not having an especially strong rotation, beyond Vazquez at least, is the root of this. They are hitting, and the core of Tatis, Machado and Merrill still makes them a competitor, but teams like the Mariners and Blue Jays, like-minded but more depleted teams, are sweeping them. The good news is the Giants slowed down at a similar pace, and there's still a tight lock for 2nd, but now the Dodgers are well ahead and they could pull away if this pace continues. 

The Padres certainly have the team to approach the Dodgers with, but they need the momentum to fall their way, like it did in April. Hopefully everything comes together. But it can't just be Nick Pivetta soaring in that rotation for this team to click. It needs to be everybody.

Coming Tomorrow- He signed the extension. Now what?