Nick Pivetta will likely get a look late in the season with the Red Sox, but the team has kept its newly acquired right-hander at the alternate training site long enough to delay his path to free agency by a year, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe observes. Pivetta entered the year at two years, 94 days of MLB service, needing 78 more days to reach the three-year plateau. With each individual day of the 2020 season accounting for roughly 2.77 days of service time in this year’s prorated schedule, he’d have needed 29 days to get there. That won’t be possible based on his current trajectory, as Pivetta just started in a simulated game yesterday, meaning he won’t be an option to join the Boston rotation until next week.
It could all be a moot point if Pivetta doesn’t solidify himself in the big leagues, of course. The right-hander showed flashes of his potential at times with the Phillies and is able to miss bats in bunches. Consistency has eluded him, however, and the Phils flipped him to Boston in last month’s trade for Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree. Pivetta can now be controlled through the 2024 season, but he’ll need to improve upon the 5.23 ERA and 4.64 FIP he’s posted over the past three seasons.
More on the Red Sox…
- Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom spoke with Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald about player development and the decision to leave prospects like Tanner Houck down at the alternate site for much of the season — even as the big league roster saw continued struggles from journeymen who likely aren’t part of the long-term plan. Bloom cited a “big picture” approach to roster construction multiple times, suggesting that even if a prospect at the alternate site is a better option than someone on the MLB roster, that prospect’s development may not yet be finished. The remaining schedule is limited at this point, of course, but Bloom did indicate that additional young talent could yet get a look in the Majors. “There is one guy in particular I can think of that we’ve been building towards hopefully getting him an opportunity before the end of the year,” Bloom said without delving into specifics. (Speculate away, Sox fans!)
- Lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, who did not pitch in 2020 after developing myocarditis as an after-effect of his bout with Covid-19, is in Boston for another wave of testing, manager Ron Roenicke told reporters today (link via MLB.com’s Ian Browne). The team has yet to determine how he’ll build up for his expected 2021 return. The club still doesn’t have a clear picture of when Rodriguez can resume baseball activities, though Roenicke expressed hope that he’ll be able to begin a strength program “within the next couple months.” The Sox might have to limit Rodriguez’s workload next year, pitching coach Dave Bush acknowledged. “For a guy like Eduardo Rodriguez, 200 innings last year and zero this year, we’re still figuring out exactly what we can expect from him next year and what’s a reasonable amount so he can pitch and be part of the rotation,” said Bush.
- The Red Sox announced this morning that they’ve added 2020 first-rounder Nick Yorke to their 60-man player pool. The 18-year-old infielder obviously won’t be a consideration for the big leagues this season, but he’ll spend the final couple weeks of the season getting some development work in with the team’s staff. Right-hander Colten Brewer, who is on the 45-day injured list and already known to be done for the year due to a finger injury on his pitching hand, was removed from Boston’s player pool.
I think the simplest answer is the most likely, the “one guy” is Pivetta. Duran doesn’t need to be added to the 40 man, CJ Chatham probably deserves a shot based on time served but they seem content with Arroyo who I do like, and other than that… meh. Groome not ready. Seabold and maybe Mata would be up there too on the shortlist I think but why rush either for one start? Pivetta probably makes the most sense. See what he’s got going on now and run him back out next year too.
Pivetta believe is a given to get a late season start and he’s not really a surprise. Agree on Mata though, who would be and would kind of like to see how well his command issues will play vs mlb guys with his mid-upper 90’s fb. Think if he throws like watched him last season.. Just judging on that and not from 2018.. He should do ok.
True on Duran. No reason to add him to the 26 man roster this year when they have a bunch of people worthy of adding to 40 man and may have to expose some as it is to rule 5 draft. Why add him when he’s not yet eligible. Would it be nice to see him? Sure, but let’s not take a chance on losing someone just for a handful of AB’s on a meaningless season in his case.
Jay Groome
Wait, wait,wait! Are you possibly a fan of Jay Groome? He must be ready by now right? He has 3 YEARS of rookie and short season ball! That’s where the best play! But he does have a full 44 IP at A ball.
He’s definitely not ready. If you think he’s ready you haven’t got a clue. But let’s throw him out there against Major Leaguers for 2 starts. Let’s see what he’s got.
Question for you, is Tanner Houck ready? Are you penciling him in as one of the five starters next season? Of course not. But you give him a start just to take a look and let him have a feel for Major Leaguers. Why not?
You have trouble understanding sarcasm don’t you? Groome is still a LONG way from being ready for mlb.
Groome has looked great against a lot of mlb hitters in Pawtucket !! It took a long time for him to recover from Tommy John surgery, but he could easily see time with the Red Sox in 2022. Watch the games…… Sim City Pawtucket……..
The “Sim City” Pawtucket games are recorded/saved, so you can watch games from earlier in September or August. There are several players who have not played above A+/high A level who look mlb ready (Casas is just one example)…..Bloom has stated he will not bring him up and as Casas or Durren will not need to be added to the 40 man this year.
Duran might not need to be added to the 40 man but if they plan on letting bradley walk and putting Duran in center in 2021, then they’ll bring him up
All of you search “Sim City Pawtucket” and watch the simulated games with Casas, Durren, Groome, Houck…..then come back and make your comments so you have a better idea rather than taking the word of a bunch of writers who have not actually seen the minor league players in 2 or 3 years if ever. Watching all the games as I have has changed my view of many of the players…..
Duran has only played half a season in AA and has not played any AAA, so I do not see him being handed the starting CF position at the start of 2021. I could see Bloom resigning Pillar to start 2021 for CF and bringing up Duran after several months in AAA.
Big Eduardo fan. Wish him the best.
My guess is Bloom’s “one guy in particular is him just referring to Pivetta. I mean it makes sense as they have clearly been “building towards” him making his red Sox debut this season. I really think the only other “obvious” candidate would be Mata but I think the front office feels as though he isn’t quite ready… though given how little they’ve got to lose — you could win up seeing both of them make a start (or 2) in the final couple weeks of the season. However I definitely think he was referring to Pivetta because the whole “building towards it” thing clearly lines up with how slowly and deliberately they’ve been working with him to join their rotation at some point.
“Slow and deliberate”…….the Red Sox needed to help Pivetta change the flaws that were causing him to get blasted in Philadelphia. His fastball was sitting in the 94 to 95 mph range in the Sim City Pawtucket games that are available online, so Pivetta does have “stuff”. The question for him is command and repeatability on his pitches. If the coaching staff can help him be more consistent then his stuff should be a #4 or #5 starter in the mlb and that has value in the millions of dollars. Pivetta did give up some home runs in Pawtucket and he was not “stretched” out when he got there, so waiting made sense in service time and head clearing time…..
Blake Swihart
Jeter Downs
Might as well steal the extra year of control
JAY !!!!
GROOME !!!
I’d love to see Nick Yorke turn into a stud for Boston after going under the radar for so many. I like the sneakiness of that pick. Great hit tool.
I’ve heard he’s got promise. My only criticism is he wasn’t high on many draft boards. Perhaps he could have been had in the 2nd round (or later).
Boston didn’t have a 2nd round pick, so if he was “their guy” then they had to reach to get him at all
As you should have known, the Red Sox list their second hand pick in this years draft… so if you wanted Yorke it was rd 1 or rd 3…
Red Sox didn’t have a second round pick.
Red Sox have four other guys ahead of Yorke at second base. Yorke’s 18, give him 5 years.
Betts was at 2B, but switched to outfield. If Yorke is good enough the Red Sox will find a positive for him to play whether it is 2B or somewhere else.
Casas will take 1B from Dalbec by the end of 2021 or 2022.
It’s the perfect cap on the Sox season when (a) they’re worried about service time consideration for a guy with a 5+ ERA and (b) Bloom is playing “guess the prospect”….man, he learned to sling it in Tampa, didn’t he?
Get moving Chaim, that ain’t gonna work in Boston. Contention next year, or it’s back to the Trop.
You’ll have nothing and like it!
Old Number 10?
Who said anything about the team being “worried” about the service time for Pivetta? A journalist notes the fact that Pivetta has now lost the ability to earn enough service time to hit FA a year earlier does not in any way mean that the team kept him down for that purpose. Considering that Boston just acquired him and surely see him as someone who needs to work to “unlock”, it’s likely he was kept down because that is where he needs to be right now.
I saw Pivetta pitch 4 Sim Games and the announcers stated that Pivetta needed to remain in Pawtucket and not be added to the Boston after until after September 20th for the Red Sox to get the extra year of team control…..Wow, what a coincidence that Pivetta’s first game is right after September 20th……
Everything Bloom does has to do with team controlling years of service. Look at his track record!
I assume this is the case, but are the Sox planning on using Pivetta as a starter?
Pivetta can be a TOR starter he has the potential.
I guess Pivetta does have somewhere around a .05 % chance of becoming a TOR starter. I mean technically every starter in the majors or minors has the potential to be a TOR. But it is not going to happen.
So you’re telling me there’s a chance?
no, he doesnt. i dont even know where Phillies fans got the idea that he had “stuff.” he had no stuff and couldnt execute anyway. shouldve just not traded Pap.
If the Sox get lucky, Pivetta could be a #4 or #5 starter. That seems to be his ceiling at this point. I’d really like to see them bring up Mata for a start or two. It won’t impact his service time at all and he needs to be added to the 40 man in December anyways. One other guy they could call up is Marcus Wilson (OF), who is already on the 40 man roster.
Mata missed a couple weeks because of a leg injury. He will be added to the 40 man because of Rule 5. Highly doubt he would have been called up even if he had not gotten injured
Rule 5 additions
Jay Groome
Tanner Houck
Bryan Mata
Hudson Potts
Jeisson Rosario
Connor Seabold
Connor Wong
Bloom would not have traded for them if he did not plan on adding them
Jay Groome vs Yankees