Padres' Nick Pivetta May Not Start Opening Day After Setback in Spring Training

He was the presumed Opening Day starter for San Diego heading into the offseason.

Sep 10, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (27) reacts after a strike out during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Nick Pivetta had his Cactus League start pushed back this past weekend as he's dealing with arm fatigue amid spring training.

The right-hander entered camp as the team's presumed Opening Day starter with Michael King coming off an injury-riddled season and Joe Musgrove having just missed the entire 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

However, Pivetta's mini setback could cost him that Opening Day start.

Pivetta wasn't worried about the fatigue, saying this was something he just wanted to take care of early in the season. However, he now may not be in line to start on Opening Day for San Diego.

“I would just say just regular arm fatigue,” Pivetta said Sunday when describing what he's dealing with. “We have a little bit of time. I’m able to just take a step back. We won’t be talking about it once the season gets going. But I think just for me right now, I have the time to take a step back, work on a couple things, get the rest I need and then just go out and again. Take the time now to make sure that I am healthy throughout the season, I think that’s the priority.”

Pivetta has struggled through his first two Cactus League starts, allowing five earned runs over five innings with just two strikeouts. He's also allowed nine hits while walking three.

Spring training is the time to work on things, though, and Pivetta appears to be doing just that. He's scheduled to start again on Friday, but that wouldn't put him in line to start on March 26 in the team's season opener against Tarik Skubal the Detroit Tigers.

Pivetta is coming off a career year in 2025, setting career-best marks in ERA (2.87), innings pitched (181.2) and strikeouts (190). He stabilized a San Diego rotation that was shaky in 2025 due to King's injuries and inconsistent play from Dylan Cease.

Pivetta will again have to be somewhat of a rotation stabilizer this year with the uncertainties regarding King and Musgrove. Thus, the team is being extra careful in spring training to ensure he's healthy and ready to go come the start of the season.

If that means him pitching in the second or third game of the season for San Diego, so be it.

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