Former Red Sox Pitcher Announced As MLB's Final Opening Day Starter
Former Red Sox Pitcher Announced As MLB's Final Opening Day Starter originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The San Diego Padres were the last of MLB's 30 teams to announce their starting pitcher for Opening Day of the 2026 regular season.
San Diego revealed on Monday that former Boston Red Sox hurler Nick Pivetta will be getting the honor for Thursday's contest against two-time reigning AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers. "Piv gets the nod," the Padres' official account posted on X. Piv gets the nod š„ pic.
twitter. com/RvIzWTafs4 ā San Diego Padres (@Padres) March 23, 2026 Pivetta spent four-plus seasons in Boston through the 2024 campaign after being acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies in August 2020. The right-hander went 37-41 with a 4.
29 ERA, 1. 24 WHIP and 718 strikeouts across 633 innings pitched covering 131 games (107 starts) with the Red Sox before signing with the Padres in February 2025. Pivetta had the best year of his career in 2025, finishing 13-5 with a 2.
87 ERA, 0. 98 WHIP and 190 strikeouts in 181 2/3 innings pitched across 31 starts in San Diego last season. The 33-year-old heads a Padres' rotation that could also include former Boston starter Walker Buehler.