Right-hander Nick Pivetta and the San Diego Padres have finalized a $55 million, four-year contract, a backloaded deal that allows him to opt out after the 2026 and ’27 seasons

To reiterate here, Pivetta seems a prudent fit for a team that needed another innings-eater this year and beyond. Shields was in decline when he joined the Padres at 33. Though less decorated, Pivetta,