Why New Red Sox Pitcher Nick Pivetta Will Go To Alternate Site Instead Of Joining Team

If the Red Sox had Nick Pivetta en route to Baltimore right now, no one would bat an eye.

Rather, he’s heading to Boston’s alternate training site, and that’s turning some heads.

Pivetta was part of the return to the Red Sox in their trade that sent Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree to the Philadelphia Phillies. Connor Seabold also is coming back to Boston in the trade.

Pivetta has 92 big league appearances, 71 of which are starts. Considering the Red Sox are in borderline dire need of pitching in general, but especially starting pitching, it was curious why the Red Sox sent the 27-year-old to Pawtucket.

But now, we have the reasoning.

“That’s a good question – so, he has been on option with Philadelphia,” Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said Friday over Zoom after making the trade. “And, look, this is a guy who we have a lot of faith in him as a starting pitcher, but just for right now, knowing that he’s been through some ups and downs, role changes over there, a lot of different things. We thought the right thing right now was just to get him to our alternate site, get our arms around him a little bit, get to know him and then we can figure out a plan for the rest of the year. We don’t know what that will be yet, but we want to get him in here, get to know him and then we can figure out a plan from there.”

Pivetta appeared in three games with the Phillies this season, all in relief. He had an 0-0 record with a 15.88 ERA. He last pitched in the big leagues on August 10.