Could Nick Pivetta’s struggles against the AL East prompt an offseason trade?
There have been points this season where Red Sox righty Nick Pivetta has looked brilliant. There’s been other times where he’s looked like another back of the rotation type of starter in baseball.
Pivetta was roughed up against the Blue Jays on Friday night. He gave up six hits and three walks while striking out two. The righty surrendered four runs, three of them earned over five innings.
With the offseason on the horizon, there is a case to be made for trading Pivetta.
The 29-year-old has struggled against the American League East this season. Pivetta owns a 6.72 ERA (75 innings, 56 earned runs) in 15 starts vs. AL East teams this season.
Quite frankly that’s not going to cut it when just under half of Pivetta’s starts are against the AL East.
Pivetta vs. AL East teams:
vs. Baltimore: 16 innings, 6 earned runs (3.38 ERA), three starts.
vs. Yankees: 23 ⅔ innings, 25 earned runs (9.51 ERA), five starts.
vs. Rays: 15 ⅔ innings, 13 earned runs (7.47 ERA), three starts.
vs. Blue Jays: 19 ⅔ innings,12 earned runs, four starts.
Pivetta’s divisional ERA is the 14th highest among the 1,256 instances of a pitcher making 13+ starts in a season against the AL East since the start of division play in 1969, per Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe.
After a rough start to begin the season, Pivetta had a dominant run over a course of 10 starts. During that run, he was a serious candidate to make the American League All-Star team. He allowed 14 runs in 68 innings pitching to a 1.85 ERA. Pivetta had pitched six innings in nine of those 10 starts for the Sox.
“I think it’s year to year. This year has been up and down against [Toronto], but mostly negatives against the AL East all year round,” said Pivetta. “But it doesn’t change my approach, doesn’t change my belief in myself. Go out there and compete the best I can every single time. If the chips fall my way, it works. If not, it is what it is.”
Unfortunately for Pivetta, the “it is what it is” doesn’t give Red Sox fans an ounce of confidence when he’s facing the AL East.
Pivetta has two years left of team control, that will likely keep him around with the club. He will turn 30 in February and depending on how free agency goes will be one of the few familiar faces in the rotation.
His 2022 season could be an anomaly but the numbers are the numbers. Pivetta has be putrid against divisional foes and that’s not good enough for the this club.
“Yeah I look forward to making my 33rd start of the year,” said Pivetta. “I always love to pitch. I always love to go out there and compete. Things will turn my way better next time, but just go out there, same thought process, same confidence as I always have, and same confidence in this team and our abilities.”
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