MLB analyst puts Padres' Pivetta in elite company among 2025 additions

It has been nothing short of a standout year for starting pitcher Nick Pivetta, who has consistently looked like the anchor of a starting rotation that has been injury-plagued all season long. To say he has kept the team afloat in the playoff race is an understatement, as a Pivetta start has almost always been a “win day” for the Padres.

While Pivetta has been one of the league’s best, what if we told you that he is only due $2 million for this season—$11 million less than his market value? He’s been so good that MLB analyst Thomas Harrigan put him at third overall when ranking the best offseason acquisitions of 2025, placing him only below the Garrett Crochet and Juan Soto moves.

“When the Padres signed Pivetta in mid-February, the right-hander was expected to occupy the fourth spot in the rotation behind Michael King, Dylan Cease, and Yu Darvish,” said Harrigan.

In the eight years prior, Pivetta had never posted an ERA below 4.00. But in 2025, his 2.85 ERA in 164.1 innings of work has him smashing his previous totals. On top of that, he ranks only behind Paul Skenes and Garrett Crochet in starts where he has pitched six innings while allowing only two runs or fewer, reaching this mark 17 times.

We already know that Michael King is a force, and we’ve seen glimpses of what Dylan Cease can look like when he is on point. Imagine a playoff series with these three leading the way—it would be a force to be reckoned with.

Pivetta is due $2 million this year, as mentioned, but next season he is set to make $20 million before having the option to opt out of his contract in 2027.

As we get closer to playoff time, it is important that the big three of the starting rotation find their rhythm and take the momentum into the Wild Card round. The Padres still sit only one game behind the Dodgers in the NL West race, so if they pile up wins, playoff baseball could be returning to Petco Park in October.