Mets Linked To Ex-Red Sox Standout Starting Pitcher

The San Diego Padres have looked more like sellers or rebuilders than contenders this offseason. San Diego has already lost Dylan Cease to the Toronto Blue Jays and Robert Suárez to the Atlanta Braves, both via free agency.

Michael King is also rumored to be on his way out of town, with the Boston Red Sox believed to be one of his suitors.

Could the Padres go one step further and trade their ace from last season, Nick Pivetta?

According to new intel from The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the former Red Sox pitcher Pivetta may very well be traded, and the New York Mets figure into the equation as a possible destination.

With the Padres entertaining trade interest in Nick Pivetta, the Mets could be a good match.@Ken_Rosenthal has more on his article with @DennisTLin and @WillSammon… pic.twitter.com/jBf42y7Wcu

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) December 15, 2025

Rosenthal noted that the Padres would ask for young pitching in exchange for Pivetta, whose trade value is at a high point right now despite his age (32). He finished No. 6 in National League Cy Young voting last season, earning a 13-5 record across 31 starts with a sharp 2.87 ERA in 181 2/3 innings. His command shone through with a 0.99 WHIP and 190 strikeouts, powering San Diego’s rotation and helping secure another playoff berth for the Padres. Though limited to one postseason outing (a five-inning gem marred by a single run) Pivetta’s consistency proved invaluable to the club in ’25.

Since debuting with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017, Pivetta has carved out a durable nine-year career, blending power and poise across three teams. With the Phillies through 2019, he joined Boston from 2020-2024, where he notched steady innings despite occasional inconsistencies. Now in San Diego, his overall ledger stands at 69-76, a 4.47 ERA, and 1,329 strikeouts over 1,211 frames in 209 starts.