What Nick Pivetta’s Massive Decision Means For Red Sox Offseason

Nick Pivetta has spent the past five seasons pitching for the Boston Red Sox, but that door could very well close this offseason.

Pivetta declined Boston’s $21.05 million qualifying offer extended earlier this month, leaving it up to the 31-year-old to accept or decline to rejoin the Red Sox in 2025 — with a Nov. 19 deadline. The time was up for Pivetta to decide, and the right-hander elected to pass up the offer on Tuesday, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, and test out free agency instead. This decision, of course, grants the Red Sox a third-round compensation pick — if another team signs Pivetta.

It wasn’t surprising for Pivetta to reject the one-year deal in pursuit of a multi-year offer; however, it will have a ripple effect on the Red Sox for the remainder of the offseason.

Boston has already been linked to multiple pitching targets over the past few weeks such as Max Fried, Corbin Burnes and Blake Snell; all quality top-of-the-rotation arms capable of making their presence felt in a Red Sox uniform. But with this winter’s market in high demand for starting pitching, Boston’s front office isn’t working on a solo hunt to improve its one-through-five staff. Therefore, the level of importance of potential negotiations with names like Fired, Burnes and Snell has inflated.

Pivetta ranked fourth in innings tossed (145 2/3) among all Red Sox pitchers last season, after finishing second with 142 2/3 in 2023, first with 179 2/3 in 2022 and third in 2021 with 155. Although Pivetta logged a career 4.29 ERA across 131 appearances in Boston, the durability factor cannot be understated. If Red Sox manager Alex Cora needed Pivetta to pitch out of the bullpen, Pivetta’s fiery competitive edge was ready. When Boston needed Pivetta in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series three years ago, Pivetta delivered five innings of one-run ball against the Houston Astros.

“He works so hard,” Cora said after Pivetta’s final outing on Sept. 27. “… When he got here, he got comfortable because he knew he was surrounded by guys that been there, done that. He knew that Nate (Eovaldi) was gonna take care of him, Chris (Sale) was gonna take care of him, Eduardo (Rodriguez). They had the experience of winning. And for him, it was just to show up here and to work, to stay quiet and follow them, and that was very interesting. I never saw it that way. He was good, he was good for us. He is good for us.”

Making up for the intangibles Pivetta brought to the mound won’t be easy. He was a gamer, a workhorse and led by example through his energy. Pivetta went 6-12 with a 4.14 ERA in 26 starts last season for the Red Sox.

Boston still has plenty of avenues to explore before spring training rolls around.