Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta exited his first rehab outing Tuesday with what San Diego manager Craig Stammen later told reporters was some tightness in his right elbow.
It was his first rehab appearance since going on the injured list April 14 because of inflammation in the elbow.
Pivetta, pitching for Single-A Lake Elsinore, walked to the dugout abruptly after a 2-2 fastball in the fourth inning. He had recorded two outs, throwing eight of his 14 pitches for strikes while touching 95 mph with his fastball.
Stammen said despite the exit, Pivetta was able to regroup and throw about 20 or 30 pitches off the mound in the batting cage. The team will reevaluate him Wednesday.
Pivetta had not pitched in a game since April 12, when he left the Padres' contest against the Colorado Rockies because of flexor discomfort in the elbow. Two days later, he was diagnosed with inflammation.
The 33-year-old Pivetta, who was 13-5 with a 2.87 ERA in 31 starts in 2025, was 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA this season for the Padres, who entered Tuesday two games out in the National League wild-card race.
He agreed to a $55 million deal in February 2025 that allows him to opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons, but San Diego has the option to void the remaining two years and $32 million if Pivetta has a specified injury or surgery related to the injury and is on the injured list for more than 130 consecutive days in any season or in a one-year period.
Pivetta also was on the injured list with a right elbow flexor strain from April 6 to May 8, 2024.
In 10 MLB seasons, Pivetta is 70-78 with a 4.47 ERA and 1,353 strikeouts in 1,227 innings with the Phillies, Red Sox and Padres.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
