Cardinals Urged to Pursue Nick Pivetta in Free Agency

Nick Pivetta could offer the Cardinals a high-upside addition to their starting rotation, particularly if he can regain the form he showed with San Diego in 2025. He finished that season with a 2.87 ERA over 31 starts and 181 2/3 innings.

Pivetta’s 2026 season was cut short: he made eight starts, posting a 2.86 ERA across 34 2/3 innings. The Padres declined his option, making the 33-year-old a free agent. He was in good health as the season concluded, and the case for signing him rests on his potential to deliver strong results if he stays on the mound.

Pivetta has a past connection to Chaim Bloom, now with the Cardinals. Bloom was Boston’s chief baseball officer when the Red Sox acquired Pivetta from Philadelphia in 2020. Pivetta showed promise in Boston before leaving ahead of the 2025 season.

A short-term contract could make sense for St. Louis, though Pivetta may cost more than alternatives such as Dustin May or Shane Bieber. The potential payoff would be a front-of-the-rotation starter; if the Cardinals fell out of playoff contention, a healthy Pivetta could also become a valuable trade asset.