Padres SP Nick Pivetta Heads to IL with Elbow Inflammation

Pivetta, who had a career year in 2025, will miss time with a right elbow injury.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 6:36pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's motion, with sharp, overlapping planes in muted earth tones, conveying the disruption caused by Pivetta's injury to the Padres' rotation.A Padres pitcher's delivery deconstructed into a cubist masterpiece, reflecting the team's need to adapt to Pivetta's injury.San Diego Today

The San Diego Padres announced that starting pitcher Nick Pivetta has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation. Pivetta, who had a career-best season in 2025, left his start against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday after three innings due to the injury. The Padres have recalled right-handed reliever Alek Jacob from Triple-A to take Pivetta's roster spot.

Why it matters

Pivetta was a key part of the Padres' rotation last season, posting career highs in several categories. His injury is a significant blow to the team's pitching staff as they look to build on their success from 2025.

The details

Pivetta retired the first nine Rockies batters on Sunday and struck out four in three innings before being removed from the game after throwing a pitch to Edouard Julien to lead off the fourth inning. The Padres have placed Pivetta on the 15-day injured list, with the move being retroactive to Monday. To replace Pivetta on the roster, the team has recalled right-handed reliever Alek Jacob from Triple-A El Paso.

  • Pivetta was removed from Sunday's game against the Rockies in the fourth inning.
  • The Padres placed Pivetta on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday, with the move being retroactive to Monday.

The players

Nick Pivetta

A 33-year-old starting pitcher for the San Diego Padres who had a career-best season in 2025, posting a 13-5 record with a 2.87 ERA and 190 strikeouts.

Alek Jacob

A 27-year-old right-handed reliever who has pitched in 39 games for the Padres over the past three seasons, making a career-high 29 appearances in 2025.

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What’s next

The Padres have not provided a timeline for Pivetta's return, but he will need to undergo further evaluation and treatment for the elbow inflammation before being cleared to resume pitching.

The takeaway

Pivetta's injury is a significant setback for the Padres, who were counting on him to anchor their starting rotation after his breakout 2025 season. The team will need to rely on their depth and other starters to fill the void while Pivetta recovers.