Padres' Nick Pivetta Not Happy With Progress From Elbow Injury

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta has been out since mid-April after he left his fourth start of the season due to a flexor strain in his elbow.

Pivetta was placed on the injured list, and hasn't made much progress since.

Recently, a Padres insider revealed Pivetta should be coming back sometime after the All-Star break, which would give the Padres' rotation a massive boost. But the veteran also downplayed his progress with a simple two-word message: "It’s nothing."

The right-hander has slowly started a throwing progression, with him throwing long toss over the weekend. But Pivetta also understands that nothing is set in stone, and until he gets back on the mound for San Diego, he isn't healed.

Both the Padres and Pivetta have been taking a cautious approach to his injury, hoping to avoid him rushing back. The last thing that anyone wants is for him to return, only to re-injure himself even worse and be out for significant time.

Pivetta has stated that he won't come back until he is fully ready to go, as he wants to help the Padres win games. The right-hander understands that if he comes back too quickly, he may only be a detriment to the team's overall success.

“It’s just making sure my arm can move, and my arm moved fine,” Pivetta said of the throwing. “It won’t be until I get off a mound and get some length and put something behind the ball that we will know how I feel.”

Elbow injuries are never easy to assess, especially for a pitcher, so staying patient is the right move from both sides. If Pivetta can return after the All-Star break, it would give this group a nice addition for the stretch run of the season.

Before the injury, Pivetta posted an ERA of 4.50 in his limited time pitching this season. Coming into the year, the righty was expected to be the ace of the staff following a breakout year in 2025.

Pivetta isn't the only pitcher for the Padres who is currently hurt, with Joe Musgrove also dealing with an elbow injury. Germán Márquez and Matt Waldron are also both out with injuries, leaving the starting rotation fairly thin.

The good news is the Padres should be getting back these arms over the next couple months, which will greatly help their postseason chances. However, the healthy players on the roster right now need to keep winning and do their job to ultimately make Pivetta's return worth it.

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