Nick Pivetta leaves rehab outing early with apparent injury, Padres’ late-August target in doubt

Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta exited a rehab appearance early after walking off the mound with an apparent injury during his outing with Single-A Lake Elsinore on Tuesday afternoon, according to MLB. The development puts additional uncertainty around Pivetta’s recovery timetable, after the organization had been aiming for him to return to the major leagues in late August.

Pivetta has been sidelined since early April with a flexor strain in his right elbow. That injury type can be especially sensitive for pitchers because the flexor group plays a key role in stabilizing the arm during throwing mechanics and in controlling the elbow through the acceleration phase of the pitch.

The Padres used Lake Elsinore as part of Pivetta’s rehabilitation process. Rehab assignments in affiliated leagues are typically structured to help a player ramp up workload gradually, while also giving the organization a chance to monitor how the arm responds across multiple innings or outings, depending on the plan.

In this case, the outing did not proceed as intended. After Pivetta left the mound with an apparent issue, the next steps for the rehab plan would normally involve medical evaluation and a reassessment of whether the injury is a setback, a flare-up of the original problem, or something different that requires a modified timeline.

For San Diego, the timing carries added significance. Pivetta’s return had been part of the Padres’ internal pitching planning as they looked toward the final stretch of the season, when teams often try to finalize their late-season rotation and bullpen depth. A delay or change in the nature of the injury could affect how the Padres spread innings among their healthy starters and leverage relievers.

The organization has not, in the information provided here, offered further specifics on the severity of the apparent injury or the number of additional rehab appearances that might be required before Pivetta is cleared to pitch again. As that information becomes available, the key question will be whether the elbow issue is simply a temporary interruption or whether it changes the character of the recovery from the flexor strain that sidelined him earlier this year.

What to watch next is confirmation of the injury update and any revised rehab plan, including whether Pivetta will be shut down briefly, resume throwing after clearance, or require a longer recovery window. For now, the Padres’ late-August target is the most immediate stake, and their pitching staff depth planning may need to adjust accordingly.