Padres Place Pivetta on 15-Day IL with Elbow Inflammation

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta was placed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with right elbow inflammation, two days after he exited a game against the Colorado Rockies with stiffness in his pitching arm.

The move is retroactive to Monday, the team announced. Pivetta, 33, had retired the first nine batters he faced in Sunday's 7-2 victory over Colorado, striking out four in three perfect innings. He was removed in the top of the fourth after throwing a 92.2 mph fastball to leadoff hitter Edouard Julien, which the batter took for a called strike. Manager Craig Stammen and head athletic trainer Mark Rogow visited the mound for a brief discussion before Pivetta walked off under his own power.

Stammen emphasized caution in addressing the injury. "We're trying to be cautious with Nick, and I think the smartest move was to not push him and give him some time on the IL and then figure it out from there," he said before the Padres opened a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners. The manager noted that Pivetta had not felt fully healthy during the outing and compared the issue to stiffness the pitcher experienced in spring training. "I think we caught it early...