San Diego Padres starter Nick Pivetta will miss an undetermined amount of time due to a right flexor strain, manager Craig Stammen announced Wednesday.
Stammen did note that Pivetta doesn't immediately need surgery. The team is "discussing" what his rehab process will look like.
"He's definitely gonna take some time off throwing," the skipper told reporters, per 93.7 The Fan. "Let it rest, let it heal and then get back on the throwing program and strengthening program. It's probably going to be more weeks and maybe months than it is just specific days. ... We feel pretty confident he's gonna get back this year."
Pivetta was pulled early from Sunday's start against the Colorado Rockies with what the team initially called right elbow stiffness. The Padres placed him on the injured list Tuesday.
Despite having a high 4.50 ERA, the 33-year-old didn't allow a home run through 16 innings this year before getting hurt. He also owns a 1.28 FIP, 1.12 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts to just six walks across his four outings.
"Feeling better day by day," Pivetta said Wednesday, according to Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune. "You know, it's going to take some time. It's going to be a little bit of a process, but we have a good medical staff here trying to do the right things and just trying to get ahead of it."
Pivetta's flexor strain is the latest blow to a Padres rotation that's been decimated by injuries to start the season. He's the ninth San Diego pitcher to be sidelined this year, joining starters Yu Darvish, Griffin Canning, and Joe Musgrove, plus top reliever Yuki Matsui.
In the wake of the injuries, San Diego has reportedly shown interest in free-agent starter Lucas Giolito.
Right-hander Matt Waldron will come off the IL and take Pivetta's spot in the rotation this weekend against the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to Sanders.
