Pivetta brilliant in debut for Padres, who beat Braves 5-0 for 4-game sweep

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Nick Pivetta threw seven innings of one-hit ball in a brilliant debut with the Padres and Manny Machado returned to the lineup and hit an RBI double as San Diego beat the Atlanta Braves 5-0 on Sunday night to sweep a season-opening, four-game series.

The Padres are 4-0 for the first time since 1984, when they made their first World Series appearance. The Braves were shut out a second straight game and are 0-4 for the first time since 2021. The Braves haven't been swept in a season-opening, four-game series since 1980 at Cincinnati, and in a four-game series in San Diego since 1979.

The Braves have lost six straight games at Petco Park, including last season's two-game sweep in the wild-card round.

Pivetta (1-0), who signed a four-year contract in February, faced the minimum 21 batters. He allowed a a leadoff single in the third to Orlando Arcia, who was forced out at second. Pivetta struck out four and walked none.

The Braves sent the minimum 27 batters to the plate. Marcell Ozuna drew Atlanta’s only walk, off Jason Adam leading off the eighth. Adam and Jeremiah Estrada each threw one hitless inning.

Machado left Saturday night's game after the fourth inning with a cramp in his right calf that flared up during an at-bat. He doubled to the base of the right field wall with one out in the first on Sunday night to bring in Fernando Tatis Jr., who hit a leadoff double on a checked swing against AJ Smith-Shawver and advanced on Luis Arraez's groundout.

Xander Bogaerts, Jackson Merrill and Brandon Lockridge each hit an RBI double and Tatis singled in a run before getting thrown out trying to stretch it into a double.

Smith-Shawver allowed two runs and six hits in four innings.

Tatis checked his swing on a 2-0, 97-mph fastball and ended up with a leadoff double to right.

Reigning NL batting champ Arraez of the Padres is 0 for 13 to open the season.

Braves RHP Grant Holmes is scheduled to start Monday night at the Los Angeles Dodgers. Padres RHP Luis Ortiz is set to go Monday night at home against Cleveland.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

This version has been corrected to show this is the first time San Diego has started 4-0 start since 1984.

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado draws in the infield dirt before the start of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado greets a Marine before the start of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, March 30, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver works against a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, March 30, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta works against an Atlanta Braves batter during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, March 30, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta works against an Atlanta Braves batter during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, March 30, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

NEW YORK (AP) — Second baseman Ketel Marte and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed Wednesday to a $116.5 million, six-year contract that includes a player option for 2031, becoming among the first players to negotiate a lower salary for 2027 ahead of a possible work stoppage.

The deal for the two-time All-Star includes escalators for MVP awards and plate appearances that could raise its value to $149.5 million, agent Charisse Dash said.

Marte agreed in March 2022 to a $76 million, five-year deal that started in 2023 and had $49 million in guaranteed money remaining: salaries of $16 million each in 2025 and '26, $14 million in 2027 and a $13 million team option for 2028 with a $3 million buyout.

His new agreement calls for salaries of $14 million in 2025, $15 million in 2026, $12 million in 2027, $20 million in 2028 and $22 million each in 2029 and 2030. Marte has an $11.5 million player option for 2031.

His salary could escalate in each succeeding season by up to $5.5 million: $3 million for MVP voting and $2.5 million for plate appearances. It would go up by $3 million for finishing among the top three in MVP voting and by $2 million for finishing fourth through seventh. It also would rise by $500,000 each for 500 and 550 plate appearances, and by $750,000 apiece for 600 and 625.

Major League Baseball's collective bargaining agreement expires in December 2026, and a lockout is possible that would have potential to disrupt to the 2027 season.

Marte finished third in NL MVP voting last year and fourth in 2019. The 31-year-old hit .292 last year while setting career highs with 36 homers and 95 RBIs.

He has a .282 career average with 143 homers and 515 RBIs in 11 big league seasons with Seattle (2015-16) and the Diamondbacks.

Marte was MVP of the 2023 NL Championship Series, hitting .387 against the Phillies.

Arizona has made several big-money moves after missing last year's playoffs, signing free-agent pitcher Corbin Burnes to a $210 million, six-year contract and agreeing to long-term deals with right-hander Brandon Pfaadt ($45 million for five years starting in 2026), shortstop Geraldo Perdomo ($45 million for four years starting in 2026) and right-hander Justin Martinez ($18 million for five years).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Arizona Diamondbacks' Eugenio Suárez (28) celebrates his two-run home run against the Chicago Cubs with Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte, center, and manager Torey Lovullo during the fourth inning of a baseball game Friday, March 28, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte scores a run against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 27, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)