It might still be a long, difficult journey for Red Sox supporters, a situation that has become uncomfortably regular in Boston recently. But in the first full rotation of all five starting pitchers, there is at least something very exciting, even though it's only early April: The starting pitchers were excellent. So, naturally, Bleacher Report suggests that the Red Sox should think about trading one of them—veteran right-hander Nick Pivetta being the focus.
Can't we just enjoy this for a week, maybe two?
Pivetta performed impressively in his single start this season, pitching six innings with three hits, no walks, and an impressive 10 strikeouts. He gave up a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Mariners last Friday, and no other runs, but the Sox lost, 1-0.
That is the only loss the Red Sox starting pitchers have experienced, as they have a combined 3-1 record with a 1.29 ERA in 28.0 innings, achieving a 0.643 WHIP and 37 strikeouts against one walk. Yeah, 28 innings into their 2024 season, the Red Sox starting pitchers have only walked one batter. Maybe we shouldn't trade them just yet.
Nick Pivetta Receives 'Honorable Mention' as Top Trade Asset
In an article titled, “The 10 Best MLB Trade Chips For 2024 Season,” Pivetta was not listed among the top potential trade chips for this year, but was an honorable mention. Perhaps he should have been on the list considering his recent performance.
As analyst Zachary Rymer wrote, the list of quality starting pitchers who could be available on the trade market this offseason is not extensive: “This is generally an unremarkable group, but the guy worth keeping an eye on is Pivetta.
“He whiffed 183 batters in 142.2 innings last season and picked up right where he left off with 10 strikeouts in his 2024 debut. He now has a 2.23 ERA in six starts since moving into Boston’s rotation last September.”
Of course, the Red Sox may want to keep Pivetta for a while if he continues to pitch well. At 31 years old, he has struggled with consistency during his time with the Red Sox, but he made over 30 starts in both 2021 and 2022 before Boston used him in the bullpen last year, where he performed extremely well before returning to the rotation late in the year.
Red Sox Deciding to Keep Pivetta in the Rotation
Pivetta entered this season with the goal of staying in the rotation and added a sweeping breaking ball to his arsenal to improve his chances. Manager Alex Cora, however, has not considered moving Pivetta back to the bullpen.
During the offseason, Pivetta stated that he could use his experiences from last year to help him regain form this year.
“Going through last year, there are many aspects of the game that help a team compete and win,” Pivetta explained. “That’s my main goal, no matter what. Everyone knows I prefer to start. I prefer to win, at the end of the day.”
And it's beneficial that he is entering free agency. He will earn $7.5 million this year and could receive a significant raise if he continues to build on his early success. The timing could be perfect.
“It’s time for me to be the player I know I can be and everyone expects me to be,” Pivetta said.
