Nick Pivetta is reportedly headed for free agency.
The San Diego Padres declined a $14-million team option on Pivetta's contract for 2027, the team announced on Sunday.
The decision sends Pivetta back onto the open market.
San Diego also declined options on right-handers Lucas Giolito and Griffin Canning, and exercised an option on left-hander Kyle Hart. The Padres said infielder Miguel Andujar declined his option, left-hander Wandy Peralta exercised his option and reliever Yuki Matsui decided not to opt out.
Pivetta was limited to just eight regular-season starts in 2026 by elbow inflammation, in which he pitched to a 2.86 ERA in 34.2 innings.
The Victoria, B.C., native also made a pair of starts for San Diego in the playoffs, allowing three runs over 7.2 combined innings against the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers.
San Diego gained the team option on Pivetta's contract for the 2027 season after the right-hander spent more than 130 consecutive days on the injured list.
Had Pivetta not missed the requisite time with injury, he would have had a $14-million player option to decide on for the final two years of his contract.
The 33-year-old originally signed with the Padres on a four-year, $55-million deal ahead of the 2025 season.
In his first year with San Diego, the six-foot-five Canadian finished sixth in National League Cy Young voting, posting a 2.87 ERA in 31 starts and 181.2 innings while racking up 190 punchouts.
Pivetta had previously spent time with the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox after breaking into the majors in 2017.
San Diego declined an $8 million mutual option on Giolito, who gets a $1.5 million buyout under a contract that paid a prorated share of a $1.5 million salary, which came to $1,275,401 for the final 159 days of the 187-day season. The 32-year-old, an All-Star with the Chicago White Sox in 2019, was 2-3 with a 5.16 ERA in five starts and two relief appearances. He didn’t pitch after June 21 because of right elbow inflammation
The Padres declined a $5 million mutual option on Canning, a 30-year-old who receives a $1.8 million buyout as part of a deal that included a $1 million salary for 2026. Canning was 5-9 with a 5.68 ERA in 11 starts and 19 relief appearances. He made his season debut May 3 after recovering from left Achilles surgery.
San Diego exercised a $2.5 million option on Hart rather than pay a $200,000 buyout to the 33-year-old under a deal that included a $1 million salary this year. He went 1-3 with a 4.92 ERA in four starts and 42 relief appearances.
Andujar declined an $8 million mutual option and will get $2.9 million buyout under an agreement that will pay him $4.4 million. The 31-year-old was mostly a designated hitter, batting .259 with five homers and 22 RBIs in 74 games. He fractured his right hand when hit by a pitch from Kansas City's Lucas Erceg on July 19 and missed the rest of the regular season, then returned for the playoffs and was 0 for 3 with a walk in four games.
Peralta exercised a $4.45 million player option, part of a $16.5 million, four-year deal running through 2027. The 35-year-old went went 3-3 with a 3.61 ERA in a career-high 77.1 innings over 65 relief appearances.
Matsui kept $28 million, five-year contract, which includes salaries of $6.5 million in 2027 and $7 million in 2028. The 31-year-old right-hander went 5-1 with a 1.83 ERA in 54 relief appearances, striking out 68 and walking 36 in 64 innings.
—With files from The Associated Press
