The Boston Red Sox shrunk their rotation Wednesday, moving Nick Pivetta to the bullpen in a move that leaves Boston with five starters ahead of its nine-game West Coast road trip.
The Red Sox presumably will reevaluate the unit once Garrett Whitlock returns from the injured list, but for now, Boston's rotation will consist of Chris Sale, James Paxton, Corey Kluber, Tanner Houck and Brayan Bello. Pivetta, who was informed of the decision before Wednesday night's series finale against the Seattle Mariners at Fenway Park, will pitch in a multi-inning relief role.
"We're getting healthier, knock on wood," Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said, according to MassLive. "We have more starters than spots. That's a good thing, but it obviously means we're gonna have to make a tough decision. (This) just fits where we are right now."
Pivetta has been durable since joining the Red Sox in a trade from the Philadelphia Phillies in August 2020, making at least 30 starts in 2021 and 2022, but performance has been an issue this season. The right-hander owns a 6.30 ERA, a 5.78 FIP and a 1.55 WHIP through eight starts (40 innings).
There's obviously a chance Pivetta returns to the starting rotation at some point, based on injuries, scheduling and/or ineffectiveness elsewhere on the staff. He'll need to limit the number of walks issued and do a better job of preventing hard contact, though. While Boston's pitching, collectively, has struggled in 2023, Pivetta was the most logical candidate to change roles in wake of the logjam created by Paxton's recent return from the IL.
"(Pivetta) knows we have a lot of belief in him," Bloom said, per MassLive, downplaying past comments from Pivetta about planning to remain in the rotation for the foreseeable future. "You put a starter out there and you're not putting them in the witness protection program. You're putting them out there to leverage them and help you win."
Pitching out of the bullpen isn't entirely new to Pivetta. He did it earlier in his career with the Phillies and thrived in such a role during the Red Sox's postseason run in 2021. So, perhaps this change will help the 30-year-old find his stride from the mound, however unconventional it might seem given his ample experience as a starter over the past few seasons.
The Red Sox's West Coast trip, which begins Friday night on NESN, includes three games apiece against the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels and Arizona Diamondbacks.
