New Details On Ex-Red Sox Nick Pivetta’s ‘Complicated’ Contract

Nick Pivetta recently signed with the San Diego Padres in free agency after spending his last five seasons with the Boston Red Sox.

The agreement netted the Red Sox an extra draft pick — Boston extended a qualifying offer at the beginning of the MLB offseason that Pivetta rejected — and reportedly is structured in a way that gives the Padres some injury protection.

Initial reports indicated Pivetta’s contract with San Diego is worth $55 million over four years. That ultimately might be true, but the heavily backloaded deal has some interesting wrinkles that The Associated Press’ Ronald Blum explained Thursday.

Pivetta reportedly is slated to receive a $3 million signing bonus, along with salaries of $1 million in 2025, $19 million in 2026, $14 million in 2027 and $18 million in 2028.

However, according to Blum, the Padres can terminate Pivetta’s contract after two years or extend it to five years if the right-hander suffers a specified injury.

“San Diego has a $14 million conditional team option for 2027 as part of the complicated agreement, according to contract terms obtained by The Associated Press,” Blum wrote. “That option could be exercised by the Padres if at any point through 2026 he has a specified injury or surgery related to the injury and is on the injured list for more than 130 consecutive days in any season or in a one-year period.”

Pivetta, 32, spent time on the injured list last season with an elbow injury, so perhaps the provision is related to that particular ailment.

Nevertheless, if Pivetta stays healthy, relative to the aforementioned injury specifications, he will have a $14 million player option for 2027, per Blum. And if Pivetta exercises that 2027 option, he’ll reportedly receive an $18 million player option for 2028.

If Pivetta suffers the injury, thereby triggering the Padres’ team option for 2027, they can end the deal after the 2026 season, meaning the veteran hurler will have earned $23 million over two years. He’d become a free agent. Or, per Blum, the Padres can extend the contract by exercising a $5 million club option for 2029.

“San Diego also has a conditional $5 million option for 2029 it can exercise if Pivetta has the specified injury or surgery related to the specified injury and goes on the injured list for more than 130 consecutive days in any season or in a one-year period, all occurring from July 1, 2026, through the 2028 season,” Blum wrote.

There’s obviously a lot to digest here, but basically, the Padres have flexibility if Pivetta suffers a certain injury. And if he stays healthy, well, San Diego landed a talented pitcher with nice upside given his bat-missing capability.

Pivetta is coming off a 2024 in which he posted a 6-12 record with a 4.14 ERA and 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings across 27 appearances (26 starts).