BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 11: Pitcher Nick Pivetta #37 of the Boston Red Sox shouts out after retiring the side during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on September 11, 2024 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
On Wednesday morning Mike Shildt discussed his team's options in the rotation behind Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish and Michael King. On Wednesday night Mike Shildt's team filled in one of those open spots.
According to numerous reports, the team has come to terms with veteran righthander Nick Pivetta. The soon-to-be 32-year-old spent the last four full seasons in Boston, where he posted a 4.14 ERA in 27 appearances (26 starts) in 2024.
ESPN's Jeff Passan is reporting that it is a four-year agreement with opt outs after 2026 and 2027. Pivetta is slated to make a total of $4 million in 2025, before seeing his salary jump to $19 million in 2026, then $14 million and $18 million if he sticks around.
Pivetta debuted in 2017 for Philadelphia, where he spent three plus seasons before getting dealt to Boston in 2020. He was good for a 4.29 during his time in a Red Sox uniform.
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The six-foot-five-inch Canadian is coming off of his best two seasons. Across 65 appearances in 2023 and 2024 he held a 4.09 ERA, striking out 355 batters in 288.1 innings. His WHIP over those two years was 1.124, with an impressive 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings. His walks per nine innings dropped to 2.2 last season.
Pivetta has been susceptible to hard contact. He has allowed 23 or more home runs each of the last four seasons.
With a fourth proven starter in place the Padres have a four-man competition between Jhony Brito, Stephen Kolek, Randy Vasquez and Matt Waldron for the final spot in the rotation.
