​SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 06: Nick Pivetta #27 of the San Diego Padres pitches in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the National League Division Series at Petco Park on October 06, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) GettyThe San Diego Padres have declined Nick Pivetta’s $14 million option for 2027, and he will become a free agent, Padres beat writer Kevin Acee first reported for the San Diego Union-Tribune.Acee further clarified that the team exercised the option due to “questions surrounding his elbow” and that “they could still work out a new deal that protects the team if he is hurt/rewards Pivetta if he stays healthy,” Acee said.Pivetta’s Limited 2026 CampaignPivetta pitched in just eight games in 2026, posting a 3-2 record, a 2.86 ERA, and 42 strikeouts in 34.2 innings pitched. Pivetta spent most of the 2026 season on the shelf with an “elbow flexor strain,” which kept him on the injured list for 147 days, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic.Pivetta is coming off a dominant 2025 season, posting a 13-3 record, a 2.87 ERA, and 190 strikeouts in 181.2 innings pitched. Pivetta originally signed a 4 year 55 million dollar deal during the 2024-25 offseason, coming off five straight seasons in Boston with the Red Sox (2020-2025). Acee highlights the Padres’ ability to renegotiate and potentially agree to a new deal with both parties.Despite his limited appearances in 2026, Pivetta still posted strong metrics in K percentage, batted-ball percentage, and chase percentage, all of which remained in the elite category for major league starting pitchers, according to Baseball Savant.Pivetta’s breakout season came in a Padres uniform in 2025, when he posted a career high in innings and strikeouts, as well as his lowest ERA in a full season outside the COVID-19 pandemic season (2020). The Padres paid Pivetta because of the talent he’s shown in his first two years in San Diego, despite the injuries this season that limited his usage.Pivetta’s Injury History Also Possible Cause For ConcernPivetta also dealt with elbow issues in 2024, which could raise concerns since those issues reappeared this season in San Diego two years later. When Pivetta sustained the flexor strain in his right elbow in mid-April, he told Padres beat writer for MLB.com AJ Cassavell the following: “It’s really frustrating; I was feeling really well, felt like I was pitching better. I love contributing to the team, take great pride in playing baseball for the fans, playing for my teammates,” Pivetta told Cassavell.It depends on how concerned the Padres are about the medicals and Pivetta’s elbow in terms of re-negotiating a contract this offseason, and how involved the team gets in a potential free-agent pursuit of Pivetta remains to be seen. Despite Pivetta missing a majority of the season, this was a move still a bit surprising to many of the masses considering the type of talent