Red Sox Reliever Nick Pivetta Sets Franchise Record Vs. Athletics

Red Sox relief pitcher Nick Pivetta made history while Boston opened up a three-game series in Oakland with the Athletics on Monday night.

Called upon to enter the contest out of the bullpen with Boston skipper Alex Cora running with an opener, Pivetta mowed down the entire Athletics lineup, delivering a starter-quality appearance for Boston. The right-hander entered the game in the third inning — taking over for Brennan Bernardino — and was spotless, holding Oakland hitless through six innings of work while racking up a history-making 13 strikeouts, giving Pivetta sole possession of Boston’s strikeout record in a single appearance from a relief pitcher.

Pivetta surpassed former Red Sox reliever Diego Segui, who struck out 12 batters in 1974 to initially set the record, which stood for 49 years.

Moved from the starting rotation to the bullpen, Pivetta has skyrocketed to becoming one of the most valuable relief arms in Boston’s staff. Yet, Cora views Pivetta’s role differently from the traditional late-innings pitcher role, still seeing the 30-year-old as a member of the starting rotation.

“I see it as, honestly, like a four-man rotation and a bullpen day because we know that Nick will go deep,” Cora said Sunday, according to Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe.

Since making the switch and joining the relievers crew in late May, Pivetta has recorded a 2.31 ERA, holding opposing hitters to a .124 batting average and striking out 52 hitters in 35 innings pitched.