Ex-Red Sox Pitcher Next To Sign After Jack Flaherty’s Tigers Deal?

Nick Pivetta declined a $21.05 million qualifying offer from the Boston Red Sox at the start of the offseason, and the right-hander has remained a free agent ever since.

The right-handed pitcher has previously been linked to Boston’s division rival Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets after they signed outfielder Juan Soto. Pivetta’s market, however, has been seemingly bleak as teams are days away from when pitchers and catchers begin reporting for spring training.

But perhaps Pivetta’s patience will soon pay off — no pun intended.

Fellow right-handed pitcher Jack Flaherty, too, entered free agency this offseason and just signed a two-year, $35 million deal with the Detroit Tigers Sunday. Flaherty’s removal from the market crosses another name off the list for clubs around the league in search of a veteran arm to enhance rotation depth. Connecting the dots, this should come as good news to Pivetta and his market moving forward.

Pivetta isn’t a rotation-leading-caliber pitcher, but the 31-year-old’s intangibles aren’t to be undervalued either. When the Red Sox needed Pivetta either to take the mound to start or to pitch out of the bullpen, he delivered with no complaints.

For the past five seasons, the Red Sox have gotten a first-hand look at Pivetta’s work ethic, competitive firepower and eagerness to take the mound, regardless of the situation. That unique makeup earned the respect of Boston manager Alex Cora during Pivetta’s tenure with the club, and it could make him the next to sign in free agency.

Pivetta went 6-12 with a 4.14 ERA across 26 starts — and one relief appearance — last season, logging 145 2/3 innings. He provided the Red Sox with two 30-plus-start seasons and showcased an impressive performance during the 2021 postseason — Pivetta went 1-0 with a 2.63 ERA and 14 strikeouts across three starts.

“He works so hard,” Cora told reporters after Pivetta’s final start with the team. “I mean, it’s intense. We talk about it. … He was good. He was good for us. He is good for us.”

The ability to pitch both out of the rotation and bullpen, eat up innings throughout a regular season and energize a pitching staff makes Pivetta among the most versatile arms in baseball. Several clubs could easily find a role for Pivetta to fill and even as the clock ticks and spring training approaches, it shouldn’t be long until Pivetta finds a home.

Pivetta last signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal to avoid arbitration last offseason in Boston.