The Boston Red Sox may now have a crowded starting rotation.
With the addition of Walker Buehler, the team has six solid options for the rotation, along with strong depth at Triple-A. Buehler, Garrett Crochet, Tanner Houck, and Brayan Bello are secure in their spots, while Kutter Crawford seems poised to fill the fifth spot, assuming Lucas Giolito starts the season on the injured list.
Does this mean the Red Sox are finished adding starting pitchers? Likely, and this could leave one member of their 2024 rotation searching for a new team.
Nick Pivetta, who earned $7.5 million in 2024 during his final year of arbitration, rejected the Red Sox’s $21.05 million qualifying offer in November. With Buehler now signed for the same salary, it’s unlikely the Red Sox will be calling Pivetta’s agent again.
So where could Pivetta end up? Content creator Robbie Hyde recently suggested in a YouTube video that the 32-year-old right-hander might join the Los Angeles Angels, who have been working to rebuild their rotation by adding Yusei Kikuchi and Dakota Hudson.
“I think Pivetta is one of the most underrated pitchers on the market this year,” Hyde said. “He’s a guy you can rely on—he ranks in the top 25 percent for innings pitched over the last few years. He’s a workhorse.”
“I still think the Angels need to add more pitching, even after Kikuchi.”
Over five seasons with the Red Sox, Pivetta posted a 4.29 ERA and a 37-41 record, but he often showed flashes of elite potential. In 2024, he had five outings with 10 or more strikeouts, including two games where he struck out eight batters in a row. He also ranked among the top pitchers in the league in the Stuff+ metric.
Thanks to the qualifying offer, the Red Sox would receive a draft pick at the end of the second round of the 2025 MLB Draft if Pivetta signs elsewhere.
Pivetta could find new success with another team, though the Angels have historically struggled to develop starting pitchers. Still, after several years in Boston, it may be time for the Red Sox to move on from trying to refine his raw talent.
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