Top Landing Spots for Free Agent Nick Pivetta

In two seasons in San Diego, Nick Pivetta established himself as an elite starting pitcher. In 39 starts, he posted a 2.87 ERA, striking out 232 batters over 216.1 innings pitched. This production was vastly different from his previous four seasons in Boston, where he was a mid-4.00s ERA starter with good strikeout stuff.

Unfortunately for Pivetta, he sustained a right elbow flexor strain on April 12, which sidelined him for nearly five months. To make matters worse, during a rehab outing in August, he pulled himself from the start due to elbow tightness.

When he returned late in the season, he looked like the same starter we saw in 2025. He continued to post elite chase and strikeout numbers while maintaining his velocity. That’s why it came as such a shock when the Padres chose to decline his $14 million club option.

Given how thin the Padres’ rotation is, health has to be a concern.

Even with that in mind, Pivetta looked the part when he was on the field. In a free-agent market featuring big-name pitchers such as Tarik Skubal, Freddy Peralta, Trevor Rogers, and Michael King, Pivetta is certainly still someone worth signing.

Free Agent Profile: Nick Pivetta

• Age in 2027: 34

• 2026 Stats: 8 G (8 GS), 2.86 ERA, 2.21 FIP, 34.2 IP, 1.3 fWAR

• 2026 Salary: $19 million

• Qualifying Offer Eligibility: No
  

Contract Projection

• Contract Length Expectation: 1-3 years

• Expected AAV: $14-20 million

Pivetta has shown signs of being a late bloomer as a starting pitcher and has a solid postseason track record, posting a 3.08 ERA across 26.1 innings.

Given his history of elbow injuries, his market is somewhat difficult to gauge, but he’s still someone worth pursuing to help fill out your rotation.

Free Agent Landing Spots for Nick Pivetta

Washington Nationals

Despite finishing fourth in the NL East with a 77-85 record, there are plenty of bright spots in Washington.

The offense, led by CJ Abrams and James Wood, was one of the league’s best, finishing sixth in home runs (210), third in RBI (777), third in runs scored (821), and first in stolen bases (178).

In the rotation, Cade Cavalli broke out with a 3.02 ERA in 32 starts and looks like the ace of the future. Andrew Alvarez posted a 2.78 ERA over his last 10 starts (55 innings), while Connelly Early possesses top-of-the-rotation upside.

Filling out the rotation are Jake Irvin and, hopefully, a healthy Josiah Gray. Despite all these names, the team ranked 20th in starting pitcher ERA. Adding Pivetta would raise the floor of this rotation and provide some much-needed veteran presence.

Addressing the bullpen should be part of Washington’s plans, too. But if the offense can carry over its production into next season, adding Pivetta would make this a team capable of competing in a crowded NL East.

Chicago White Sox

Much like the Nationals, the White Sox sported one of the best offenses in baseball. Their 211 home runs, 776 runs scored, and 740 RBIs were all fifth-best in the league. Unfortunately, they don’t possess nearly the same upside in the rotation.

Sean Burke is undeniably the ace of the staff after posting a 3.34 ERA in 172.1 innings, but after that, things get pretty bleak.

Davis Martin started the year strongly, posting a 2.00 ERA in his first 11 starts before proceeding to record a 5.63 ERA over his final 18 games. He gave up way too much hard contact to sustain his early-season success and will have to find a way to miss more barrels.

Following Martin is Anthony Kay, who was average with a 4.44 ERA on the season. He doesn’t bring much upside to the table, but he’s a perfectly fine fifth starter.

Trade deadline acquisition Luis Castillo has slowly regressed over the years and is now someone who will likely fill the back end of this rotation.

The team also has some intriguing options in Hagen Smith and Grant Taylor, both of whom had great seasons out of the bullpen and have the stuff to become successful starters. Even with their talent, however, it’s no certainty that their success will translate to the rotation.

Pivetta would make sense for a couple of reasons. To start, he’s likely to be a relatively cheap option, and he offers more upside than all of their current starters outside of Burke.

Overall, the rotation needs someone alongside Burke near the top, and Pivetta can give the White Sox that as they try to make their way back to the postseason.

Houston Astros

The Astros’ rotation did not live up to its potential in 2026, largely due to Hunter Brown missing a chunk of the season and Tatsuya Imai being one of the worst signings of the offseason.

When Brown did return, he was mostly himself, aside from a drop in chase rate and an uptick in walk rate. However, a 3.19 ERA over 107.1 innings will certainly do.

As for Imai, he struggled both physically and mentally in his transition to Major League Baseball. His command evaporated, resulting in a 15% walk rate. The one thing worth noting is that he posted elite whiff and strikeout rates, so the stuff is certainly there.

Peter Lambert and Hayden Wesneski both proved to be solid rotation arms throughout the season and will play key roles next year.

The odd man out is Cristian Javier, who posted a career-worst 5.14 ERA in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. Granted, he dealt with injuries throughout the season, but his 17 starts were the most since 2024. Javier is a perplexing case because his chase, whiff, and hard-hit rates are all in the 78th percentile or better, but the rest of his Savant page is a sea of blue. Given his track record of health issues, he may be better off in the bullpen.

Pivetta would easily be an upgrade over Javier and would help stabilize Houston’s rotation. In a perfect world, he would slot into the No. 2 spot and be a real difference-maker.

Los Angeles Angels

If the Angels choose not to keep Reid Detmers, signing Pivetta would give them a legitimate rotation.

Detmers finally put it together as a starter last season, posting a 3.36 ERA and a 28.5% strikeout rate. He looks like the ace this team has needed him to be, and with new ownership, building around him is the better move.

Walbert Urena came out of nowhere, pitching to a 2.97 ERA across 148.1 innings. If he can get his walk rate down, he has the ceiling of a top-of-the-rotation arm.

The remainder of the rotation consists of Yusei Kikuchi, Grayson Rodriguez, and Ryan Johnson. Kikuchi’s better days are likely behind him, but he can still be an innings eater at the back of your rotation. As for Rodriguez, you have to hope he can remain healthy and start showing signs of what scouts thought he could be. Johnson, meanwhile, is a fine fifth starter.

Adding Pivetta here gives the Angels a solid rotation with Detmers and Urena at the top, along with some much-needed continuity on the pitching side.

San Diego Padres

It’s no secret that the Padres need rotation help almost more than any other team in baseball. Their rotation would easily rank in the bottom five, if not the bottom three.

A reunion with the team would make sense, provided Pivetta is willing to take a more team-friendly deal. Both sides would get what they want.

Pivetta would get financial security, while the Padres would patch one of the many holes in their rotation.

Pivetta wouldn’t be priority No. 1 for the Padres, but he would absolutely be a step in the right direction.