Padres Name Nick Pivetta as Opening Day Starter

Veteran right-hander to face Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in season opener

Mar. 24, 2026 at 2:10pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The San Diego Padres have named right-hander Nick Pivetta as their Opening Day starter for Thursday's matchup against the Detroit Tigers. Pivetta is coming off a career-best season in 2025 and will face off against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, a two-time American League Cy Young award winner.

Why it matters

Pivetta's selection as the Padres' Opening Day starter is a testament to his strong performance last season and the team's confidence in him leading their rotation. The Padres are hoping Pivetta can set the tone for the season against a tough opponent in Skubal and the Tigers.

The details

Padres manager Craig Stammen announced that the 33-year-old Pivetta will make the first Opening Day start of his career on Thursday. Pivetta had a career-best season in 2025, setting personal highs in wins (13), ERA (2.87), and strikeouts (190). He will be followed in the rotation by Michael King on Friday and Randy Vasquez on Saturday, as the Padres look to get off to a strong start against the Tigers.

  • Pivetta will make his first career Opening Day start on Thursday, March 28, 2026.
  • The Padres' series against the Tigers runs from March 28-30, 2026.

The players

Nick Pivetta

A 33-year-old right-handed pitcher who had a career-best season for the Padres in 2025, setting personal highs in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.

Tarik Skubal

A left-handed pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who has won back-to-back American League Cy Young awards.

Craig Stammen

The manager of the San Diego Padres, who announced Pivetta as the team's Opening Day starter.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We're excited for Nick to start Opening Day. He was our best pitcher throughout the entire last season and was our No. 1 starter when we took on the Cubs in the wild-card series. He deserves to get the Opening Day nod.”

— Craig Stammen, Padres Manager

What’s next

The Padres will continue their season-opening series against the Tigers on Friday, March 29 and Saturday, March 30.

The takeaway

Pivetta's selection as the Padres' Opening Day starter is a reflection of his strong 2025 season and the team's confidence in him leading their rotation. The matchup against Skubal and the Tigers will be a tough test to start the season, but the Padres are hoping Pivetta can set the tone for a successful campaign.