5-4-2025 – By Michael Castrignano – @412DoublePlay on X
***Disclaimer: The starting pitcher was changed to Stephen Kolek, who was recalled to start today’s game. It’s his first MLB game this season but he had a 5.21 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP last season in 46.2 innings pitched. He has control issues that Pirates may want to exploit today as they did against Vasquez but more effectively follow through with men on base. That said, enjoy an entirely unrelated preview for a completely different pitcher***
The Padres are off to a red-hot start and a big reason for it is a strong start to the season from one of their offseason acquisitions, veteran righty Nick Pivetta.
Signed this offseason to a 4-years deal with San Diego, Pivetta is off to the best start of his career entering today with a 5-1 record, 1.78 ERA and 0.82 WHIP through 35.1 innings pitched as he has limited base runners via free passes and hits.
Over his first 6 starts, Pivetta has struck out 39 batters against just 8 walks as he stays in the zone, mostly avoids hard contact and keeps hitters off balance.
His pitch mix utilizes a low-90s 4-seam fastball that he throws about half the time up in the zone while pivoting to his high-70s curve against lefties and his low-80s sweeper to dispatch righties.
He’ll also feature a lesser-used high-80s cutter and low-90s sinker but primarily will setup hitters with the fastball and use their respective breaking balls to put them away.
He’s been especially effective against lefties handed hitters this year with an opponent’s OPS of just .284 compared to .644 for righties.
He’s going to fill up the strike zone and miss bats but his home run/fly ball rate (4.8%) is less than a third of his career mark of 15.1% and, with his barrel rate of 12.8%, it stands to reason that more balls will reach the seats sooner or later.
Batters will need to be ready to attack the fastballs and try to key in on the spin for the curve and sweeper, which both drop down and away from opposing hitters with sharp break.
Steel City Pirates 
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