Nick Pivetta: ‘I’ll get my break in the offseason. It’s go time.’

San Diego Padres right-hander Nick Pivetta is eager to stay on the mound as he enjoys the best season of his career. With the postseason approaching, he says he has no interest in taking time off.

When asked by the San Diego Union-Tribune about getting a week of rest while JP Sears fills his spot in the rotation for one start, Pivetta made his feelings clear.

“It’s good; it’s fine,” Pivetta said. “Obviously, when organizations think about players that way … it’s great and I’m grateful for the break. … But when I’m in my mode — I’m just feeling so good right now — I’m in that headspace where I just want to keep going. I’ll get my break in the offseason. It’s (bleeping) go time. Especially for the city, it’s big.”

Pivetta has backed up those words with performance. In 29 starts this season, he is 13-5 with a 2.73 ERA and 180 strikeouts. He is closing in on career highs as well, needing 8 2/3 more innings to set a personal best and nine strikeouts to surpass his career-high total of 188.

The Padres are in strong position to make the postseason, sitting four games ahead of the New York Mets for the final wild-card spot with 11 games remaining. But they also trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by just two games in the National League West, leaving little margin for error.

That urgency helps explain Pivetta’s push to stay on the mound. He is slated to start tonight against the Mets and is scheduled for at least two more outings before the end of the regular season. If all goes well, he could not only help San Diego in the division race but also improve his own career marks.