At a point, it seemed almost inevitable that the San Diego Padres would trade away Dylan Cease and/or Michael King. However, the arrival of Nick Pivetta has the Padres doing a complete 180.

San Diego is now no longer expected to trade Cease or King. They have begun signaling to other teams that a deal is unlikely, via Jayson Stark of Athletic. One American League executive went as far as to say the Padres are now gearing up to compete for a World Series title.

“I don't think so anymore,” the exec said of a Cease/King trade. “Feels like they're trying to win it.”

Another executive echoed those thoughts, saying San Diego was unwilling to move Cease for prospects. They wanted a, “perfect-need-for-need-fit.” One final exec said the Padres are no longer concerned over their burgeoning payroll. All of these factors have effectively taken Cease and King off the trade block while putting the Padres back into the playoff race.

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Now, Pivetta can't do it all on his own. But San Diego is counting on him after signing the right-hander to a four-year, $55 million contract.

He comes to the Padres after spending the past five years with the Boston Red Sox. Over 131 games, Pivetta held a 4.29 ERA and a 718/229 K/BB ratio. The righty has been a strikeout merchant, earning at least 172 Ks the past four years. Only Cease and King put up more strikeouts than him in San Diego during the 2024 campaign.

With Nick Pivetta now in the fold, the Padres have a dangerous trio atop their pitching rotation. One so scary that the team is now thinking World Series. It's quite the contrast, going from seller to playoff contender in an instant.

But AJ Preller hasn't been the most conventional general manager during his time in San Diego. He's hopeful their latest acquisition, and keeping their remaining roster together, will prove fruitful in 2025.