Phillies Long-Time Starter Gets $32 Million Contract Update From New Team

ATLANTA, GA JUNE 14: Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Nick Pivetta (43) looks connected from the dugout during the crippled betwixt the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies connected June 14th, 2019 astatine SunTrust Park successful Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Phillies’ rotation has undergone a important translator successful caller years, emerging arsenic 1 of the champion units successful each of baseball.

In the latest affirmative improvement for the group, rookie Andrew Painter seized connected the chance to go a cardinal portion of the rotation down the agelong successful his latest commencement connected Saturday, delivering 7 innings of one-run shot successful a ascendant triumph complete the St. Louis Cardinals.

“The 23-year-old right-hander continued to emergence to the situation Saturday nighttime pinch the longest and champion commencement of his young profession – 7 innings of one-run shot successful a 12-3 thrashing of the St. Louis Cardinals astatine Citizens Bank Park,” Jim Salisbury wrote for NBC Sports Philadelphia. “He’s go the 5th starter this squad needed.”

That emergence is different reminder of really overmuch the Phillies’ pitching image has changed since 2020, the twelvemonth that the squad acquired ace Zack Wheeler and said bully to longtime starter Nick Pivetta.

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Pivetta, who has drastically improved his profession since leaving the Phillies, has struggled to enactment patient this season.

Most recently, that has activated a nine action connected his statement pinch the San Diego Padres.

“Friday marked the 131st consecutive time of Pivetta’s IL stint, which has now triggered a statement clause that gives the Padres immoderate elasticity successful stepping distant from the 2 years and $32MM remaining connected Pivetta’s deal,” Mark Polishuk reported for MLB Trade Rumors. “The righty signed a four-year, $55MM free supplier woody pinch San Diego successful February 2025 that collapsed down arsenic $23MM successful guaranteed money complete the first 2 years, and Pivetta past had the expertise to opt retired aft the 2nd and 3rd years of the contract.”

But, evidently fearing he could struggle to make starts, the Padres included the clause successful the arena that he spent astatine slightest 130 consecutive days connected the injured database past play aliases successful this season.

Pivetta’s latest wounded setbacks travel aft his Phillies exit turned into a revival pinch the Boston Red Sox.

Nick Pivetta’s Philadelphia Phillies Tenure Was A Roller Coaster

Pivetta’s profession took disconnected aft the Phillies acquired him from Washington successful 2015, and he yet made his awesome convention debut pinch Philadelphia successful 2017.

Pivetta showed committedness during his Phillies tenure, but consistency remained elusive. He struck retired 140 batters complete 133 innings arsenic a rookie successful 2017 and followed that pinch 188 strikeouts crossed 164 innings successful 2018.

His last play successful Philadelphia was peculiarly difficult. After struggling arsenic a starter, he moved into the bullpen earlier yet leaving the organization. Looking backmost aft uncovering occurrence elsewhere, Pivetta acknowledged the quality successful his performance.

“I didn't propulsion very good astatine the extremity pinch Philly and I've been throwing good since,” he told NBC Sports Philadelphia successful 2021. “I've made the correct adjustments that I've needed to make. It's a batch much nosy and it's a batch easier erstwhile you're going out, competing successful shot games and everything's going correct truthful you tin attraction connected really to proceed going correct alternatively of fighting for your life.”

Now, Pivetta’s statement alteration gives San Diego considerably much power complete his early erstwhile he returns from injury. And it served arsenic a reminder of the up-and-down profession he has seen ever since making his debut pinch the Phillies.