Red Sox’ Nick Pivetta’s free agent market ‘surprisingly strong’
Red Sox’ Nick Pivetta’s free agent market ‘surprisingly strong’
Maybe Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has a better pulse of the industry heading into free agency than most thought. Breslow and the Red Sox drew criticism over the last 24 hours for tagging Nick Pivetta with the $21.05 million qualifying offer.
It’s possible that Breslow is leveraging the right-handers market with the hopes he declines the QO and Boston receives draft pick compensation.
“Nick Pivetta’s market, from what I’ve been told over the last couple of days, is'surprisingly strong,'” MLB Network’s Jon Morosi said on “Hot Stove” on Tuesday morning. “Why is that? Well, even for someone who was about 6-12 this year in the win-loss column and (has) an ERA that doesn’t wow you, his stuff is plus, and the peripheral numbers are very good.
“Pivetta, because of the underlying numbers—his strikeouts per nine is around 10.2—that’s the number that executives around the industry are really drawn to. They believe he can become an even more impactful pitcher than he has been to this point. Perhaps you get him out of Fenway Park, and maybe he becomes even more effective.”
Pivetta has until Nov. 19 to accept the QO from the Red Sox; he also has the option to seek a long-term pact elsewhere and sign anytime.
“The qualifying offer is now above $20 million, so for someone who made in the range of $7.5 million this past season, it’s pretty enticing to just accept that QO right now, bank that money, and stay in Boston,” Morosi said. “We shall see in the days ahead what Nick Pivetta and his agents decide to do.”
It’s possible Breslow has completely closed off Pivetta’s market now that he’ll be attached to a draft pick if he signs with a new team. Pivetta could simply opt to stay one more year with the Red Sox and bank the $21.05 million and re-test the free agent market following the 2025 season.
