Padres Pursuing Free Agent Pitcher Amid Pivetta Injury Concern

San Diego reportedly monitoring Lucas Giolito as potential replacement for injured starter Nick Pivetta.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 8:39pm

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The San Diego Padres are reportedly one of two teams, along with the Chicago Cubs, monitoring free agent pitcher Lucas Giolito as a potential replacement for injured starter Nick Pivetta. Pivetta, the Padres' de facto ace last season, recently exited a game with right elbow stiffness, raising concerns about his health and availability going forward.

Why it matters

The Padres are in need of starting pitching depth with Pivetta's injury status uncertain, and Giolito represents an experienced and talented free agent option to potentially fill that void. Giolito is the best remaining free agent starter available, making him an attractive target for the Padres if Pivetta requires an extended absence.

The details

Giolito, a former All-Star, went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts for the Boston Red Sox last season. The 28-year-old right-hander is 71-66 with a 4.30 ERA in 206 career MLB games (204 starts) over nine seasons with the Nationals, White Sox, Angels, Guardians, and Red Sox. Pivetta, who finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting last year, has a contract provision that could convert his deal into a club option if he spends at least 130 consecutive days on the injured list this season.

  • Pivetta exited his most recent start on Sunday with right elbow stiffness.
  • Giolito has been throwing regularly at the Cressey Performance facility in Florida to stay sharp during free agency.

The players

Lucas Giolito

A 28-year-old free agent starting pitcher who is the best remaining unsigned free agent on the market. Giolito is a former All-Star who went 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts for the Boston Red Sox last season.

Nick Pivetta

The Padres' de facto ace last season, Pivetta finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting after going 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA in 31 starts. He recently exited a game with right elbow stiffness, raising concerns about his health and availability going forward.

San Diego Padres

The MLB team that is reportedly monitoring free agent pitcher Lucas Giolito as a potential replacement for the injured Nick Pivetta in their starting rotation.

Chicago Cubs

The other MLB team that is reportedly monitoring free agent pitcher Lucas Giolito along with the San Diego Padres.

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What they’re saying

“I've had a few of those moments over the last like couple months where it's like I planned something for the weekend. And it's like, whoa, what happens if — but no, we're still here.”

— Lucas Giolito

What’s next

The Padres will continue to monitor Pivetta's recovery and determine if they need to pursue Giolito or another free agent starting pitcher to bolster their rotation depth.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the importance of pitching depth in MLB, as the Padres could be forced to turn to the free agent market to replace their projected ace Pivetta if his elbow injury proves serious. Giolito represents an experienced and talented option, but the Padres will have to weigh the cost and fit against their other internal options.