Padres' Nick Pivetta silencing critics all season with steady climb in MLB rankings

The Padres wanted Nick Pivetta, unlike every other team. They signed him late in the offseason, and Pivetta has rewarded the organization tenfold by giving him a long-term chance.

The 32-year-old right hander has had a rollercoaster of a career, and he never finished a season with an ERA under 4.00. But in 2025, Pivetta has showcased ace-like stuff, and is in the 100th percentile in pitching run value alongside a 2.82 ERA and a league-best 6.0 hits per nine innings.

Pivetta has been the class of the National League, and Major League Baseball is taking notice. In the league's latest pitcher rankings, Pivetta sits in fourth, making Paul Skenes the only National League arm ahead of him.

Padres' Nick Pivetta is ranked among Top 5 pitchers in MLB's latest ranking

Pivetta has been strong all season, but these last two months in particular have put him in the Cy Young conversation. In July, he dialed up a 1.17 ERA in 30 2/3 innings. This month, hitters are batting .140 against him through 31 2/3 frames.

Four of his five outings in August have been quality starts, which is the same amount that he had in July. This season, he's gone seven innings six times, firing a scoreless start four of those times. Pivetta is no longer a happy and surprising addition to the starting rotation. Rather, he is the best pitcher on the Padres, and is one of the best arms in the game right now. This season, hitters are batting under .200 against his fastball and sweeper, which are two pitches he throws often - so it's not like he is relying on one offering to get out of trouble.

Padres fans may have thought that Dylan Cease or Michael King would lead the San Diego staff to the playoffs, but an unassuming late signing in Pivetta happens to be the one actually coming through. He's been a breath of fresh air, and hopefully his dominance rubs off on the rest of the starters soon.