The Red Sox and Nick Pivetta both need a good night in Texas
After a much-needed off-day, the Red Sox of Boston will be back on our screens tonight trying to win a baseball game. In what should’ve been a sweep of the reigning World Champions, the fellas had to leave Atlanta with a series split and more questions than answers. The offense seemed to have finally woken up, the pitching was carrying its fair share, and things looked bright until it wasn’t.
Tonight, Nick Pivetta will be on the bump with a chance to give the Red Sox some hope. While things haven’t entirely gone well for Captain Canada through his first handful of starts in 2022, he is coming off of a stellar outing against the White Sox. Up until his last start, things just haven’t clicked for Pivetta. But after six strong innings against the South Siders where he held them to just five hits, no runs and whiffed eight, there’s a chance at something here.
We’ve heard about mechanics and this and that in regards to Nicky P this season but it’s hard to know exactly what is off with him right now. For as untouchable as he’s been in the past, he’s getting hit all over the damn park. To put it into perspective, Pivetta has already given up 30 hits through six starts while giving up just 137 in 30 starts in 2021. Not good. The thing is, I’ll gladly give up hits so as long as they don’t come home as we saw in his previous start.
Pivetta got a bit of a promotion as he went from the third man in the rotation to the second arm in the lineup due to Chris Sale’s injury. I, like many, was hoping that he was going to build off of the momentum he gained in the Postseason and come out guns blazing, so far he’s only had a water pistol in his holster. I’m also hoping that the long layoff due to the lockout may be to blame for the slow start and the summer heat will help his arm thaw out.
The righty from Victoria, BC can be a massive asset to Alex Cora and this Red Sox side. We know that we’re eventually getting some reinforcements from the IL but until we get there we need everyone firing on all cylinders, Pivetta included. We all know just how good he can be when he has his mind and arm synced up and it’s just a matter of time. Another good start from him tonight could be the step in the right direction Red Sox Nation is hoping for.
This wasn’t how 2022 was supposed to go for Boston. If anything, this miserable season was supposed to hit us last year and now we should be basking in the glory. Well, the baseball gods are cruel and vengeful and now the fellas have a massive mountain to climb. Luckily the schedule is fairly friendly for the club for the foreseeable future and if they play to the level we know they’re capable of, we may not be dead in the water after all. It all starts tonight in Arlington with Captain Canada strapping up the shield for one more fight.