Nick Pivetta breaks silence on $55 million Padres decision

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Nick Pivetta breaks silence on $55 million Padres decision originally appeared on The Sporting News
The San Diego Padres didn't make a ton of moves in the offseason, as they instead bolstered the roster at the trade deadline with a plethora of trades. But one of the moves they did make has worked wonders.
In the offseason, the Padres signed veteran starting pitcher Nick Pivetta to a four-year, $55 million contract, with a $14 million opt-out in 2027 and an $18 million player option in 2028.
Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune shared the reason why Pivetta decided to sign with the Padres and leave the $21 million deal on the table from the Boston Red Sox.
"It's a lot of money," Pivetta said. "So I think anytime you get offered $21 million to play for one year, it's life-changing money for the year. But it's not about the one year. It's been multiple years."
The $21 million for one year Pivetta is referring to comes from the Red Sox, the team he pitched for in 2024, offering him a $21.05 million qualifying offer. Turning down so much money, especially for Pivetta, who hasn't inked such a deal, was a tough decision.
"It's about where I am going to be in five years," Pivetta said, "where I am going to be in six years, how I am going to set myself up for success in those years, and continue to make money, which I will, and it's going to be fine."
MORE: Padres' Michael King gets encouraging contract extension update
Pivetta, instead of capitalizing on a one-year deal worth $21 million, decided to look towards the future to better set himself up for success. That doesn't mean he skimped on his current deal.
"I'm still making stupid amounts of money," Pivetta admitted. "But I'm always willing to bet on myself. I like to gamble, I like to have fun, and I believe in myself a lot."
The 32-year-old right-hander has been amazing for San Diego this season. In 24 starts, Pivetta has a 2.87 ERA, a 12-4 record, a career-high 4.2 WAR, 144 strikeouts, and a 149 ERA+ across 141.1 innings pitched.
With the injuries to Yu Darvish for the first half and Michael King for a few months, along with the struggles of Dylan Cease at times this year, Pivetta has been integral to the Padres' success.
His decision to turn down the $21 million deal from the Red Sox to sign with the Padres for the 2025 and 2026 seasons at least has been an incredible development for the Padres. He's been exactly what they need, and would easily be worth $21 million this year based on his production on the mound.
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