Padres Name Nick Pivetta Opening Day Starter vs. Tigers

Pivetta to face off against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in season opener

Mar. 24, 2026 at 1:25am

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

Why it matters

The Padres are hoping Pivetta can build on his strong 2025 campaign and lead the team to the playoffs after they fell short in the wild-card round last season. Facing off against the dominant Skubal will be a tough test to open the season, but a win could set the tone for the Padres' 2026 campaign.

The details

Pivetta had a 13-5 record with a 2.87 ERA and 190 strikeouts in 31 starts for the Padres last season. He will be making the first Opening Day start of his career. The Padres will also start Michael King on Friday and Randy Vasquez on Saturday against the Tigers, while Joe Musgrove continues to recover from Tommy John surgery.

  • The Padres open their 2026 season on Thursday, March 27.
  • Pivetta made 31 starts for the Padres in the 2025 season.

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 that Pivetta will be the team's Opening Day starter.

Michael King

A right-handed pitcher for the Padres who will start the second game of the season against the Tigers.

Randy Vasquez

A right-handed pitcher for the Padres who will start the third game of the season against the Tigers.

Joe Musgrove

A right-handed pitcher for the Padres who will start the season on the injured list as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery.

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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 announce their full Opening Day roster in the coming days as they prepare to take on the Tigers at home on March 27.

The takeaway

The Padres are banking on Pivetta to build on his breakout 2025 season and lead the team to the playoffs, but facing off against the dominant Tarik Skubal and the Tigers on Opening Day will be a tough challenge to start the season.