Report: Nick Pivetta Signs $55 Million Padres Deal; Red Sox Get Coveted Draft Pick

No reunion for the Red Sox and Pivetta

Sep 17, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Nick Pivetta (37) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox didn't think it would take this long, but they finally saw Nick Pivetta land with a new team in 2025.

Pivetta, who spent the last four-and-a-half seasons with the Red Sox, was touted as a breakout candidate for whichever team could get their hands on him next. But seemingly because he rejected the Red Sox's qualifying offer, it seemed no team wanted to go near him.

The Red Sox would be entitled to an extra draft pick at the end of the second round if and when Pivetta signed elsewhere, and that team would have to forfeit a pick of their own. For a pitcher with a 4.29 ERA in his four years in Boston, teams seemed to be on the fence about that proposition.

That came to an end Wednesday night, when Pivetta reportedly agreed to a four-year, $55 million deal with the San Diego Padres that includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons. ESPN's Jeff Passan was the first to report the news of Pivetta's signing.

There are lots of interesting ramifications with the Pivetta signing that could affect the rest of Major League Baseball. First, there's the structure of the deal: Pivetta will make a $1 million salary in 2025 with a $3 million signing bonus. Then, it's $19 million in year two, $14 million in year three, and $18 million in year four.

The Padres, who are right up against the luxury tax threshold, should be able to avoid losing their first-round pick because of the Pivetta signing. But adding a starting pitcher also means they could be prepared to trade one away.

The Padres' top two projected starters, Dylan Cease and Michael King, will both be free agents in a year's time. Now that Pivetta is locked in for at least two years, one of the two aces could be dealt, especially Cease, because his salary counts more than double that King's does against the Padres' 2025 payroll.

From the Red Sox's perspective, unless a trade for Cease is somehow on the table, this mostly serves as the end of a chapter.

Pivetta showed flashes of brilliance in Boston, but could never quite figure it out on a permanent basis. If he puts it all together in San Diego, at least the Red Sox won't have to face him all that frequently.

More MLB: Red Sox Prospect Marcelo Mayer Projected To Take Over For $313M Superstar By 2026