The Boston Red Sox have put a specific effort into adding more pitching this offseason. Could there be another move on the way?
Boston has added Garrett Crochet, Walker Buehler, Aroldis Chapman, and Patrick Sandoval throughout the offseason. Pitchers and catchers are just about to report to Spring Training but a former Red Sox fan-favorite is still available.
Nick Pivetta is still available after what must have been an extremely disappointing offseason. He turned down the qualifying offer from Boston and hasn't landed a deal elsewhere yet. He made $7.5 million last year and would've made almost three times that amount if he accepted the qualifying offer.
Now, the Red Sox will get draft compensation back which certainly has hurt his market. It's unclear where he will go, but MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo suggested that there could be a "small chance" he returns, although it is very unlikely.
"To that end, the Red Sox would love to see Pivetta sign elsewhere soon," Cotillo said. "If he reaches a deal with another club, Boston will receive a compensation pick before the third round in July’s draft (at our around the 77th overall pick). The only way that doesn’t happen is he signs after the draft (considering that would mean he waits until the All-Star break, unlikely) or re-signs.
"Considering what seems to be a depressed market, there’s at least a small chance Pivetta finds a soft landing back with the Red Sox on a short-term deal as a reliever/swingman. But it remains more likely he finds a home elsewhere, potentially after a team suffers a rotation injury during spring training or trades another arm. He has been loosely linked to the (San Diego Padres), (Toronto Blue Jays), (New York Mets), and (Cincinnati Reds) as a free agent."
Boston fans certainly shouldn't expect Pivetta to return as Cotillo mentioned, but it would be a pretty fun idea for the Red Sox. He could be a great reliever while also providing Boston important rotation depth if necessary.
