After his final start this season, Nick Pivetta 'grateful' for his time with the Red Sox
Nick Pivetta made his 31st start of the season for the Red Sox on Friday night. With his impending free agency looming, it might be his last with Boston.
Pivetta, who has been with the Red Sox the last four seasons, was acquired by former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The Sox sent right-handed relievers Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman to Philly for Pivetta and fellow righty Connor Seabold.
Pivetta is the only one of the four remaining in the majors and has been exceptionally reliable for the Red Sox during his time with the club. Boston is focusing on adding more starting pitching and likely to pursue front-end options while filling the remainder of their rotation with internal options, Pivetta could be the odd man out.
“I think every team needs someone to front the rotation. I think the question is, 'What does that look like? Where does the availability come from? Do we have guys that can take another meaningful step forward and pitch at the front of the rotation?'” Craig Breslow said this week on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show”. “There were stretches this season where any number of guys pitched like a legitimate front-of-the-rotation starter.”
If Friday night’s start was his last with the Red Sox, the Canadian right-hander will have a strong market. When consistent, Pivetta can be dominant on the mound, but he struggles with consistency.
In his 31st start, he allowed two earned runs off three hits in 6 1/3 innings, in a 2-1 loss to the Rays. He finished the season with a 4.14 ERA in 145 1/3 innings.
“Solid,” manager Alex Cora said about Pivetta’s contributions to the Red Sox. “A guy who loves to compete. He posted. Obviously, this year, he was on the IL, and we had to skip him once, but the guy shows up every day willing to work and willing to compete.
“What he did in ‘21... to put the organization first instead of their health, it means a lot. It means a lot to the manager. I really appreciate Nick Pivetta and the way he goes about his business.”
Last season, Pivetta started the season in the rotation and was hit hard, posting a 6.30 ERA in eight starts before he was demoted to the bullpen. Once in the bullpen, he looked like a different pitcher, dominating opposing hitters, recording a 2.23 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 48 1/3 innings, that spanned from May 21-July 31.
This season, he’s flirted with no-hitters; he’s also struggled to escape the fourth inning (eight times), while also hurling five innings or more in his last 10 of his 13 starts, including six innings or more in seven outings. Alluding to his inconsistencies at times while on the mound.
“Nick is a good pitcher, man,” said Cora. “Stuff-wise, one of the best in the big leagues. Pitchers like that, people are going to show interest.
“He’s a veteran. He posts,” Cora added. “He knows what it takes here, in the weight room, in the training room. He got demoted last year and complained one day. He showed up the next day and was like, ‘I’m going to the bullpen.’ He understands how this works. He’s good for any team. Let’s put it that way.”
Pivetta served as a leader within the Red Sox clubhouse, serving as the team’s union rep. He’s been outspoken about league issues, including this season while rehabbing with the WooSox. Pivetta bashed the automated strike zone, which Triple-A uses along with a challenge system.
“I hate it. It’s terrible. Hopefully it never comes to baseball,” a pointed Pivetta said following his rehab start in Worcester earlier this season. “I think the challenge system is fine, but the strike zone—it’s just weird. It doesn’t fit; it doesn’t match baseball.”
Cora told reporters on Friday night that he considers Pivetta a veteran voice on a young team.
“He really cares about this,” Cora said. “He really cares about his teammates. He cares about winning. It has been frustrating the last three (years) for us. We had such a blast watching him perform in ‘21. He got the last out of the regular season, the relief appearance in Tampa, and then he pitched here. He’s intense.”
Once the season ends, the Red Sox will need to decide whether or not to issue Pivetta a qualifying offer, which estimates to be about $21.2 million. If the Sox offer the QO and he signs somewhere else, Boston will receive a compensation draft pick.
If that was it for Pivetta in Boston, the righty was able to tip his cap to the Fenway Faithful as he walked off the mound.
“It’s my last start so far, for me being a Red Sox,” Pivetta said. “It has been a hefty four years, almost five years for me. There’s a lot to be grateful for. A lot of opportunities have been given. Tried to take advantage of every single one of them.
“A lot of memories. A lot to be grateful for.”
