Padres Pitcher Named Best Offseason Signing By Multiple MLB Execs

San Diego Padres pitcher Nick Pivetta has been exceptional for the team thus far and is already hailed as one of the best offseason signings.

Through six starts, Pivetta has a 1.78 ERA and an impressive 29.3 percent strikeout rate, generating 1.3 WAR, which ranks ninth in the majors.

The deal to acquire Pivetta in free agency was controversial, considering the right-hander is 32 years old and has signed a four-year deal worth $55 million. The contract was also backloaded, which fell in line with the Padres' payroll restrictions this offseason.

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MLB.com's Mark Feinsand polled 20 executives in baseball on which signing has been the best so far, and Pivetta came in second, with four votes.

Nick Pivetta, Wicked 80mph Sweeper. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/AQ2ZmbTTsC
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 30, 2025

“San Diego got one of the best starting pitchers on the free-agent market without giving a huge market-price deal,” an AL executive told Feinsand.

“They're reaping the rewards.”

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Last year, Pivetta pitched for the Red Sox, accumulating a solid 2.0 WAR, a 4.14 ERA, and a strikeouts per nine innings rate of 9.93.

There was an underlying metric that made Pivetta a potential coup for the Padres, which was his expected ERA of 3.51, a figure that would have been worth much more than he received.

The average annual value of his current deal is slightly over $13.5 million, and if he continues pitching this way, it will be a crowning achievement for general manager A.J. Preller.

Pivetta's production was worth $15 million based on Fan Graphs WAR to dollar conversion measurement in 2023, and valued at $16.2 million, two figures higher than what he is earning now.

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The only factor that could derail his contract with the Padres would be his age, as he enters his mid-30s, which can be a decline for some pitchers.

Though there are signs that this may not be the case, primarily because his fastball velocity is about the same as last year.

Regardless of how the rest of the contract plays out, Pivetta is an early contender for the NL Cy Young this season, and that is worth its weight in gold for a team looking to bring home the pennant.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.