REPORT: Red Sox 5-Year Starter To Bolt For Cincinnati Reds After Declining Sox Offer
It’s always intriguing to track where former players land, and the Boston Red Sox are still waiting for one significant free agency decision to unfold.
The Red Sox appear to have finalized their rotation, leaving one key member of their 2024 staff without a team. Nick Pivetta, whose tenure in Boston was marked by inconsistency, seems poised to join a new club in the coming year.
The 32-year-old Pivetta compiled a 37-41 record and a 4.29 ERA over five seasons with the Red Sox. Despite his struggles with home runs, his strikeout ability—10.2 batters per nine innings—makes him an enticing option. However, his 103 home runs allowed across 131 outings (107 starts) remains a glaring issue.
By rejecting Boston’s $21.05 million qualifying offer, Pivetta effectively ensured his departure, with the team opting to offer a similar deal to free agent Walker Buehler instead. Now, the only question is where Pivetta will land.
Content creator Robbie Hyde speculated that Pivetta could sign with the Cincinnati Reds, despite their hitter-friendly ballpark. In a recent YouTube video, Hyde noted:
“The Reds have shown interest in Pivetta, and it makes sense. They prioritize pitchers with strong underlying metrics, ranking seventh in Stuff+ this year. Pivetta himself has been a top-10 performer in that category in recent seasons.”
Although Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park may not seem ideal given Pivetta’s home run struggles, the Reds offer a compelling roster and play in one of baseball’s weaker divisions. With no postseason starts to his name, a move to the Reds could potentially give Pivetta a chance to pitch in October.
As for the Red Sox, they’ll receive a compensation draft pick at the end of the second round if Pivetta signs a major league deal. While the team likely has no preference regarding his destination, they might welcome the idea of him landing in the National League, avoiding potential matchups against his former club.