Red Sox Rising Star 'Should Do Well In Free Agency' Amid Stellar Start

Boston should have interest in retaining the right-hander

Scott Neville | Apr 5, 2024

Sep 2, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Nick Pivetta (37) pitches / Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox are currently in second place in the American League East with a 5-2 record largely due to the unexpectedly stellar performances from the pitching staff.

One of the most impressive arms so far has proven that his end to the 2023 campaign was far from a fluke and is setting himself up for a notable payday next winter.

"Nick Pivetta was a trade target this winter, but his value is increasing with two more very good starts," The New York Post's Jon Heyman wrote Thursday. "He should do well in free agency."

The 31-year-old impending free agent is off to a near-perfect start. He's posted a 0.82 ERA with a 13-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .200 batting average against and a 0.82 WHIP in 11 innings to initiate the 2024 campaign.

That sample size is far from enough to warrant a large contract but his dominance dates back to midway through last season. After moving to the bullpen temporarily on May 21, the veteran posted a 3.16 ERA with a 141-to-31 strikeout-to-walk ratio and .182 batting average against in 102 2/3 innings.

The change of scenery from the dugout to the bullpen was far from the only thing that aided his performance. Pivetta reinvented his slider which made him a strikeout machine. His 31.2% strikeout rate is far above the league average 25.6% and it showed. In the early going's of 2024 he's up to 31.7% and it looks to be sustainable.

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow will soon have to determine if he wants Pivetta to be a part of the long-term plans in Boston or to let him head elsewhere. If the Red Sox come back down to earth, Pivetta could be a prime trade chip as well.

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Published Apr 5, 2024

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu