The Red Sox are being rewarded for investing in Nick Pivetta
The Red Sox have seen plenty of players come and go since their last World Series title in 2018 as a change in the regime has forced a change in philosophy. With more of an emphasis put on the types of players that best suit their needs as opposed to the biggest names on the market, we’ve seen Boston shift back to the mentality from previous eras. One man that fits that model perfectly is Nick Pivetta, and the right-hander has done nothing but reward Chaim Bloom for his confidence.
As we all know, Pivetta arrived in Boston thanks to a Trade Deadline move with the Phillies that also brought over a top pitching prospect in Connor Seabold. Last week, I wrote about how damn good Pivetta was despite not getting a win as the Red Sox let him down in the batter’s box. That start’s in the past though and he had a job to do last night against the Orioles, and boy did he ever. Six innings of one-run ball with two walks and eight whiffs mixed in is a damn fine night at the office for the righty.
That’s exactly what Pivetta brings to this team and it’s why I wouldn’t be surprised if Bloom finds a way to keep him here for quite a while. The right-hander has developed into the perfect three/four man in the starting rotation and will be a serious weapon for the Red Sox heading into October. He’ll never be the flashiest guy on the mound or the loudest but he sure as hell will get the job done when he’s needed the most.
The story on Pivetta, while he was with the Phillies, was that he had all the potential in the world but it just never synced up for him. Well, he’s been with the Red Sox for a year now and things are looking pretty good for him. After last night’s start, his season totals sit at 9-5/4.20/124.1/4.18/1.247/3.8/10.1, not bad for a guy who was traded for a pair of relievers not even with Philly anymore.
Nicky P will be entering his first year of arbitration after this season and won’t be a free agent until 2025. Plenty of time not just for the hurler to increase his value within the organization but also for Chaim to structure something that’s a win-win for both sides. Give Pivetta a raise while also getting him some fresh years to stave off arbitration. If he can finish out 2021 the way he started it, I can see some good things coming in his future from the Red Sox.
Bloom has a similar mentality to that of Theo Epstein in that the chemistry of the team is at the forefront of his strategy. Bringing in a guy like Pivetta is right in line with that mindset and it’s paid off in a big way so far for the Red Sox. After yesterday’s big performance and win, Pivetta credited his fastball and believes that if Boston’s starters can feed off one another, this team will be unstoppable.
"“I think it’s just having confidence in it, confidence in myself, knowing my stuff plays every single time I go out and pitch,” Pivetta said. “It’s staying confident in my heater and allowing other pitches to complement that.”"
He gave a similar explanation after he dominated the Blue Jays in Toronto last week. He had full control of his heater and was able to place it where he wanted it to go. This in turn allowed him to work with his other pitches in a way that put the batters on their heels and gave him a massive advantage. Last night went exactly like his start in The Six and he gave the Red Sox exactly what they needed in order to go out and get the win against Baltimore.
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With Chris Sale returning to the rotation today while Garrett Richards and Martín Pérez have been moved to the bullpen, Pivetta has his spot locked up for the rest of the season. It would take a meltdown of epic proportions to unseat him from his spot and I just can’t see that happening. Even with a poor outing here or there, his good far outweighs his bad and he is someone that Alex Cora can count on more often than not.
"“I think it’s really important that we continue to build off of each others’ outings, keep it game to game and day to day,” said Pivetta. “It keeps a lot of focus off the other white noise that’s out there. Just focusing on our jobs, putting up zeros, taking some pressure off the offense, I think that’s really important.”"
I have no problem saying that I am a big fan of what Nick Pivetta can do on the pitcher’s mound. He may not be the flashiest name on the team or have the most electric stuff, but he’s damn good at what he does and he’s striving in Boston right now. Chaim Bloom doesn’t swing and miss very often and he hit a no-doubter in trading for Nicky P. With plenty of years left on his deal I can’t wait to see what he can continue to do with this organization.