The San Diego Padres enter Tuesday’s Game 3 of the National League Division Series with their backs against the wall. Milwaukee leads the best-of-five series 2-0, and a win would seal the Padres’ season. Nick Pivetta the right-hander who fought through a right elbow flexor injury, has been handed the start. He will take the ball at Petco Park knowing a single misstep could end his postseason.
From a heated rehab outing to a decisive postseason start
On Aug. 4, while pitching a minor-league rehab start for the Single-A affiliate in Lake Elsinore, CA Pivetta grew frustrated with his recovery and walked off the mound midway through an inning. The incident underscored the razor-thin margin imposed by his opt-out clause—if he spent 130 consecutive days on the injured list during his first two seasons, the clause would convert into a $14 million club option.
Despite that setback, the pitcher returned to action in early September and quickly rediscovered form. In four starts since his comeback, he posted a 2-0 record, allowing three runs on 15 hits while striking out 19 in 18 2/3 innings, lowering his 86. The Padres’ manager, Craig Stammen praised the journey: “It’s been a remarkable process, a remarkable journey that he’s had this entire season…”.
Milwaukee’s narrow edge and the Padres’ recent heartbreaks
The Brewers have already captured two one-run victories at American Family Field. Game 1 featured a dramatic ninth-inning sequence in which Ty France’s potential game-winner ricocheted off the roof and into left-fielder Jackson Chourio’s glove; Chourio later belted a two-run homer and William Contreras added a solo blast to win 3-2. The following day, a series of miscues—Manny Machado’s throw-out at third, Jake Cronenworth’s error, and closer Mason Miller’s blown ninth-inning save—handed Milwaukee a 4-3 victory.
After the blown save, Miller admitted, “I didn’t do my job today,” and added, “It’s not the first save I’ve blown and it probably won’t be the last… we have another shot to play.” His candidness highlighted the thin line between triumph and defeat that both clubs are navigating.
Contract stakes and the lingering elbow clause
Pivetta’s four-year, $55 million contract, signed before last season, contains a unique provision. If he logged 130 consecutive days on the injured list during either of his first two San Diego seasons, the option would switch from an opt-out to a $14 million club option without a buyout. The deadline passed on Aug. 22, triggering the club option—a matter that will be settled after the World Series.
General manager A.J. Preller declined to comment on the clause, but the pitcher’s perseverance speaks volumes. “I couldn’t ask for a better guy on the mound,” third-baseman Manny Machado said on Monday. “Season on the line, the energy that he brings, the passion that he brings to pitching… He’s one of the best competitors we have in our game.”
With the Padres’ bullpen exhausted after the first two games, Stammen confirmed that Pivetta will be expected to go deep, likely five innings, to preserve the relievers. “Without Nick, would we have gotten to the playoffs? Probably not,” Stammen noted. “He’s a big part of us having a lot of success down the stretch.”
As Tuesday’s night approaches, the Padres face a do-or-die scenario. A strong outing from Pivetta could shift momentum, while another Brewers win would close the series. The stakes are amplified by the contract clause, the recent blown save, and the lingering question of whether San Diego can rally from a 0-2 deficit.
