Latest Nick Pivetta Update Raises Concerns About His Return
San Diego Padres pitcher Nick Pivetta has been sidelined since April while dealing with an elbow injury, and his recovery has taken another uncertain turn.
Pivetta recently returned to the mound for a rehab appearance, but the outing ended prematurely after he experienced elbow tightness. The veteran right-hander threw just 14 pitches before leaving the game, prompting the Padres to take a cautious approach with his recovery.
Although the setback did not appear to result in a serious new injury, San Diego temporarily halted Pivetta’s throwing program to give his elbow additional time to recover.
The latest update from Padres insider Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune suggests that Pivetta is progressing, but not quickly enough to have another rehab start scheduled. Acee reported that Pivetta’s bullpen session Thursday was longer and more intense than his previous workout, but the Padres have yet to set a date for his next rehab appearance.
With August already underway, Pivetta’s return timeline remains unclear. The Padres will understandably want to make sure the right-hander is completely healthy before activating him, especially after his recent setback. He will also need multiple rehab outings before he can realistically return to the major-league rotation.
There is another important factor at play. Because of a clause in Pivetta’s contract, he could lose the opportunity to exercise options for the final two seasons if he remains on the injured list for 130 consecutive days. To avoid that outcome, he would have needed to return to San Diego’s active roster by August 22.
Padres manager Craig Stammen explained why the organization is taking its time with Pivetta. He noted that when a pitcher leaves a rehab outing in the middle of an inning because of an elbow issue, immediately putting him back on a normal throwing schedule would be too risky.
Instead, the Padres are giving Pivetta additional recovery time and monitoring how his elbow responds before increasing his workload.
When Could Nick Pivetta Return?
Given the latest developments, Pivetta could potentially return around the middle of September, assuming he avoids another setback. The need for several rehab appearances makes an earlier return increasingly difficult.
Pivetta made only four starts for San Diego this season before the elbow injury sidelined him, leaving the Padres without one of their key starters for much of the year.
Fortunately for San Diego, the team strengthened its rotation at the trade deadline by adding additional starting pitching. The Padres are also expecting Joe Musgrove to return soon, potentially this week or next, which should help ease the pressure created by Pivetta’s extended absence.
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