Toronto Blue Jays Reportedly Pursuing Boston Red Sox Free Agent Pitcher Nick Pivetta

Nick Pivetta, one of the most accomplished Canadian pitchers in MLB history, could opt to join the Toronto Blue Jays after five successful seasons with the Boston Red Sox.

Sep 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (37) throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles in the first inning at Fenway Park. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays are "in on" free agent pitcher Nick Pivetta, the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Tuesday evening.

The Blue Jays aren't alone in pursuing Pivetta, but Toronto could hold a special place in his heart. The 31-year-old right-hander was born and raised in Canada, albeit on the other side of the country in British Columbia.

Still, Pivetta was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team from 2009 to 2012, so playing for the lone big league team north of the border could be enticing for Pivetta. Entering the 2025 season, Pivetta ranks 15th all-time in wins, 13th in innings pitched, 13th in WAR and fourth in strikeouts among Canadian-born MLB players.

Jays are among many teams in on Nick Pivetta, a Canadian native

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 18, 2024

Pivetta is coming off a solid five-year stint with the Boston Red Sox, who extended the righty a qualifying offer at the start of the offseason. He declined the one-year, $21.05 million deal, meaning any team that signs him will have to send draft pick compensation back to Boston.

After getting traded by the Philadelphia Phillies midway through 2020, Pivetta proceeded to go 37-41 with a 4.29 ERA, 1.243 WHIP, 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a 9.7 WAR in a Red Sox uniform.

Pivetta served as a swingman in 2023, coming in as a reliever in 22 of his 38 appearances. Out of the bullpen that season, he went 5-3 with a 3.07 ERA, 0.970 WHIP and 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

Outside of that three-month stretch last summer, Pivetta started 91 of his other 93 outings in Boston. He has exceeded 140.0 innings pitched in each of the last four seasons.

The Blue Jays were going after Luis Severino and Max Fried before they signed with the Athletics and New York Yankees, respectively. And while they remain in the hunt for Corbin Burnes, he could just as easily choose to sign with the Red Sox or San Francisco Giants.

If Toronto strikes out on Burnes as well, Pivetta could help round out their rotation around Kevin Gausman, José Berríos, Chris Bassitt and Bowden Francis. Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodríguez made 21 starts in 2024, but the Blue Jays seemingly want to move him into the bullpen.

Having Pivetta and Rodríguez would give the Blue Jays some solid flexibility and depth to work with as they try to return to the postseason in 2025, even if it would cost them eight figures and a draft pick.

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