Who Can Fill in for the Padres 33-Year-Old Injured Star Pitcher in 2026?
On April 12th, in a dominant win over the Colorado Rockies, disaster struck the San Diego Padres. Despite absolutely shoving through three innings, striking out three, and not allowing a single base runner, Padres starter Nick Pivetta was pulled from the game by trainers. It was instantly clear that something was wrong. After the 7-2 victory, manager Craig Stammen announced that Pivetta was suffering from elbow stiffness, nearly ensuring an injured list stint. In a rotation searching for an ace, Pivetta provided stellar strikeout numbers in his two and a half starts in 2026, striking out 20 batters in his 13 innings of work. His injury leaves a massive void in an already thin Padres rotation. His absence raises the question: Who will fill in?
Knuckleballs Galore
The most likely call-up to replace Pivetta comes in the form of a man who tosses the most unique pitch in baseball. Matt Waldron has thrown 192.2 big league innings since making his debut in 2023, all with the San Diego Padres. In those innings, he has registered a decent ERA of 4.86 along with 167 strikeouts. His biggest single-season workload came in 2024, when he made 26 starts for a playoff-bound Padres team. Waldron showed occasional promise in that 2024 season, mainly off the back of his knuckleball. Waldron is the only active pitcher in the MLB who can throw a knuckleball, a quirk that has made him a fan favorite through his Padres tenure. The 29-year-old starter has begun his 2026 season pitching for the Padres AAA affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas. In 12 innings of work, Waldron has been dominant, striking out 12 while allowing zero runs to go along with it. Despite great minor league numbers, it’s easy to see that Waldron will not have the same impact as Pivetta. If a call-up takes place and Waldron is given an extended workload, expect an ERA hovering from 4.50-5.00.
Forgotten Free Agent
One of the more under-the-radar signings made by the Padres entering 2026 was the one-year, $2.5 million contract handed to right-hander Griffin Canning. The only complication with Canning taking over a starter role is his current injury. The 29-year-old is expected to return within the next few weeks after recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered last season. Canning displays very high upside for an end-of-the-rotation arm, coming off a season with the New York Mets in which he pitched to a 3.77 ERA in 76.1 innings. In 584.1 innings, the former Met has a career ERA of 4.65, noticeably better than Waldron's.
Former Star
Despite the Padres' financial situation, the team has been tied to current free agent Lucas Giolito. After missing the entirety of the 2024 season with injury, Giolito bounced back with the Red Sox in 2025. He pitched 145 innings with a very respectable 3.41 ERA. Shockingly, the performance has yet to earn him a contract through 2026. Sitting at home, Giolito would slot perfectly into the injury-ravaged Padres rotation. The 31-year-old is a classic mid-season low-risk, high-reward signing that could keep the Padres rotation afloat while Pivetta heals.
