Nick Pivetta to start Monday’s game against the Seattle Mariners
Pivetta's dominance in the bullpen gives the Red Sox hope while they rest their other relievers.
The Boston Red Sox will start Nick Pivetta during Monday’s game against the Seattle Mariners.
Red Sox
The Red Sox have been relying on their relievers for a while now, especially since half of their rotation landed on the injury list. Naturally, the bullpen has been worn out over the last couple of games, as they burned seven arms in Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco Giants.
Pivetta is one of the few who are ready to play. Despite how good he has been as a reliever, he will start on Monday out of necessity.
“We don’t have too many options as far as relievers,” manager Alex Cora said, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “We need to make sure we keep our relievers where we have. Hopefully, we can reset.”
Pivetta started this season as a member of the Red Sox rotation, but struggled to open the year and soon found himself in the bullpen. He has been elite since he embraced his new role, notching a 1.98 ERA and 58 strikeouts over 41 innings.
He is one of the few relievers on the Red Sox that thrives in a long relief role. Over the course of his career, Pivetta has garnered a reputation as an “innings eater,” a serviceable pitcher who can pitch for multiple innings at a time and save the bullpen from unnecessary wear and tear. That ability to stay on the mound has made him valuable as a reliever, as that keeps other arms from being used. It’s what manager Alex Cora is counting on for Monday as he looks to re-energize his bullpen.
This does not appear to be a permanent change, however. The Red Sox will welcome Chris Sale back to the rotation soon, and it’s probable that Garrett Whitlock and/or Tanner Houck will re-join him there. Starter is most likely just a temporary designation for Pivetta, but it’s one that Pivetta has shown he deserves.
Pivetta and the Mariners will face the Mariners on Monday at 9:40 p.m.
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