Red Sox Veteran Faces Uncertain Future Without $21 Million Deal

Will the Red Sox consider a deal with the fiery fan-favorite?

Apr 29, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; A view of the Boston Red Sox logo and a field bag during batting practice before the game between the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Will the Boston Red Sox end up parting ways for a veteran hurler this winter?

Boston landed fiery hurler Nick Pivetta in 2020 in a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. Boston traded Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree to the Phillies and landed Pivetta as a result. The move certainly worked out in Boston's favor more than Philadelphia's.

Pivetta has been with Boston ever since and arguably has been the team's most consistent starter. He may not have been Boston's best starter over that stint, but the Red Sox always knew what they were going to get out of Pivetta.

The Red Sox have a decision to make about him. Pivetta will be a free agent this winter, but before he gets there, the Red Sox could offer him a qualifying offer. This would give Pivetta the option of having a one-year deal worth roughly $21 million in 2025.

If Pivetta were to decline the offer and sign elsewhere, the Red Sox would get draft compensation. If he were to accept, he would be with Boston on a one-year deal in 2025.

It's unclear what will happen, but MassLive.com's Sean McAdam predicted that he won't receive the qualifying offer.

"Two others could, however: Nick Pivetta and Tyler O’Neill," McAdam said. "Pivetta has proven to be a durable middle-to-back-end starter who will attract interest on the free agent market. But just as clearly, the $21.05 million would be a significant overpay, and given the emergence of Brayan Bello, Tanner Houck, and Kutter Crawford to go along with the expected return of Lucas Giolito, Pivetta is hardly irreplaceable, especially at that number."

McAdam certainly seems right. A deal of that size with Pivetta would be surprising. There's always a chance he could negotiate something with Boston on the open market, but the more likely option is that his time with Boston sadly could be coming to an end.

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