Padres pitcher Nick Pivetta leaves rehab outing after 14 pitches

San Diego’s deadline shopping acquired a new sense of urgency less than 24 hours later.

Nick Pivetta abruptly left his rehab appearance with Low-A Lake Elsinore on Tuesday, creating another potentially significant concern for the Padres’ rotation.

Pivetta entered behind Joe Musgrove and recorded two outs before walking off the mound in the fourth inning. The right-hander allowed one hit and threw eight of his 14 pitches for strikes, reaching 95 mph with his fastball.

The box score, however, quickly became secondary.

After delivering a 2-2 fastball, Pivetta shook his head and stomped off the mound headed toward the Storm dugout without finishing the inning. No diagnosis or explanation for his departure was immediately announced.

It was an especially alarming sight considering Pivetta had not appeared in a game after dealing with inflammation and a subsequent right elbow flexor strain. That injury limited him to four starts, during which he went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA across 16 innings.

The Padres had been counting on Pivetta to eventually provide a substantial second-half lift. He was their most reliable starter last season, finishing 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA over 181 2/3 innings.

Fortunately for San Diego, the front office added former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray and former All-Star Casey Mize to its rotation Monday. Ray arrived with a 10-6 record and 3.08 ERA, while Mize had produced a 2.70 ERA over 86 2/3 innings.

Those additions initially represented reinforcements for a playoff chase. After Pivetta’s troubling exit, they may already qualify as essential.

The Padres entered Tuesday two games behind Arizona and Philadelphia in the National League wild-card race. Their postseason chances could now depend upon the severity of Pivetta’s apparent setback—and how quickly their newly constructed rotation can absorb it.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters