Nick Pivetta works two innings in Lake Elsinore as Padres continue elbow rehab

Nick Pivetta’s rehab assignment with the Padres continued Tuesday night with a measured step forward in Single-A Lake Elsinore. Working in relief, the right-hander logged two innings on the mound for the Storm, a session that came after his rehab was paused earlier this month when he exited a start with elbow discomfort.

In the Lake Elsinore appearance, Pivetta threw 47 pitches and recorded 35 strikes. The outing was not clean, but it was contained: he allowed three runs over the two innings as part of the ongoing evaluation of how his elbow responds to mound work.

For the Padres, the start has a dual purpose. First, it gives Pivetta a chance to build bullpen-style live innings under game conditions. Second, it helps the organization confirm whether the elbow discomfort that halted an earlier rehab effort has fully settled enough to allow the next stage of throwing. The club has used the Minor League rehab pathway to gradually increase workload, rather than jumping straight to higher-intensity outings.

Rehab assignments in August carry particular weight because teams are balancing current roster needs with the long-term health of pitchers heading toward the final stretch and beyond. For pitchers like Pivetta, each decision point matters, since the process typically includes pauses and resets when symptoms return or when the medical and pitching staff want additional caution.

Pivetta’s Lake Elsinore start also provides a baseline for what comes next. Tuesday’s workload, with 47 pitches and two innings, suggests the team is willing to move the rehab plan forward, but the three runs allowed underline why teams take these steps one outing at a time. How Pivetta’s command, velocity, and recovery look in subsequent sessions will shape whether the rehab stint progresses smoothly or requires another adjustment.

As he continues this phase, the Padres will be watching for signs that the elbow can tolerate repeated pitching stress. That includes how quickly he bounces back between sessions, whether any discomfort reappears, and whether his mechanics stay consistent as he adds innings or transitions toward more taxing situations.

The next development to monitor is what the Padres do after Tuesday’s two-inning start, including whether Pivetta remains at the same level and workload or moves to the next step in the rehab ladder. For now, Lake Elsinore served as a practical checkpoint, giving the organization new information and, importantly, the continuation that was missing after the earlier elbow-discomfort episode.