Ex-Mets GM proposes blockbuster trade for stellar Padres ace

Former general manager Jim Duquette thinks the Mets should target Padres starter Nick Pivetta.

Sep 5, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (27) delivers a pitch in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

As the New York Mets look to find ways to improve their starting pitching staff, this former general manager thinks the ballclub should go after this starter via the trade market.

During Wednesday's show of Mets Hot Stove on SNY, ex-Mets general manager Jim Duquette floated the idea of New York acquiring starting pitcher Nick Pivetta from the San Diego Padres. In exchange for Pivetta, the Mets would send Brandon Sproat, Nick Morabito, A.J. Ewing, or Jett Williams to San Diego.

“So I think the more realistic one is what we’ve been hearing a lot more recently, (which) is a guy like Nick Pivetta ... who had a career season last year,” Duquette said. “[Pivetta] wouldn’t be a number one type starter, but a number two, solid guy, maybe right behind [Nolan] McLean, and you’d have him under control for three years. That’s the most important thing is, that you have him under control.”

On Mets Hot Stove, @JimDuquetteGM makes a trade proposal for the Mets to acquire Nick Pivetta from the Padres: pic.twitter.com/vIsiJMNllH

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) December 18, 2025

As Duquette alluded to, Pivetta is still under team control for three more years after he signed a four-year, $55 million contract with the Padres last offseason. The 32-year-old is coming off a stellar first season in San Diego; in 31 starts, Pivetta posted a career-best 13-5 record with a 2.87 ERA, 190 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.99 (also a career-best) in 181.1 innings pitched.

Duquette's reasoning for why he thinks the Mets should look to trade for Pivetta is that he's still under team control for three more years, and that San Diego is looking to shed some money this winter. The righty, however, can opt out of his contract after the 2026 season, while also having a player option after the 2027 season.

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The Mets have made it known this offseason that they need to improve their rotation after it struggled so mightily during the last three-and-a-half months of last season, despite beginning the 2025 campaign with the best rotation ERA in baseball. Injuries and starters failing to go deep into games led to a 4.03 ERA for the year (18th in Major League Baseball), and ultimately was a key factor in missing the postseason.

As things currently stand, New York's current starters on their roster consist of top pitching prospect Nolan McLean, Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, David Peterson and Sean Manaea. The Mets called up two more of their top pitching prospects in Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong for the final month of the regular season, but they may end up beginning next season in Triple-A.

Both Tong and Sproat showed some impressive flashes during their respective starts at the major league level. However, Tong struggled with consistency over his five big league starts, while Sproat had a difficult time pitching deep into his four outings; both of these indicate that they need more time to develop.

The Mets need both a frontline ace and quality depth for their rotation. While Nick Pivetta may not be that true No. 1, he could potentially provide that necessary depth for the rotation to remain stable in 2026.

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