Report: The Impact of Nick Pivetta Signing On Dylan Cease's Future

And that just about does it for the starting pitcher pool on the free agent market. For any teams looking for an impact arm of any sort for the rotation, Nick Pivetta may have represented their last chance.

In a late-night signing on Wednesday night, the San Diego Padres locked up the eight-year veteran hurler, with a four-year, $55 million contract.

BREAKING: Right-hander Nick Pivetta and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a four-year, $55 million contract that includes a pair of opt-outs, pending physical, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 13, 2025

The deal comes with an interesting breakdown: It has opt-outs after Year 2 and Year 3 and will pay him a $3 million signing bonus and just a $1 million salary in 2025, $19 million in 2026, $14 million in 2027 and $18 million in 2028.

Pivetta, 32, has been with the Boston Red Sox for the past four seasons, and the past two years put together some under-the-radar impressive numbers.

Since 2023, he has struck out 11.08 batters per nine innings, 4th in the majors. He has allowed a stingy .219 batting average against (13th in the majors), and his strikeout-to-walk ratio of 22.8% is 5th in baseball. Not too shabby.

His game-level stats have featured an ERA of 4.09 over that time, with a WHIP of 1.12. Again, more than solid for a mid-rotation spot.

He now joins a very solid Padres rotation of Dylan Cease, Michael King, Yu Darvish. That's IF Cease isn't dealt, and according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, the deal could actually increase the chances that the Padres retain trade candidate Cease—through at least the end of spring training.

It's definitely one of the better Top 4s in a rotation in the league, and per Lin, "For now, Cease is expected to remain part of that group."