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As fans and analysts suspected, Nick Pivetta almost certainly won\u2019t return to the Red Sox.\u00a0Jeff Passan of ESPN reported\u00a0that Pivetta will likely reject Boston\u2019s $21.05 million qualifying offer and will instead enter the free agent market seeking a more lucrative deal. That means it\u2019s almost time for the Sox to find his replacement.<\/p>\n
Pivetta\u2019s replacement should demonstrate a similar level of durability and efficiency. The right-hander recorded a 4.14 ERA and 1.13 WHIP while allowing 28 home runs in 2024. He is known to eat innings while maximizing strikeouts and minimizing walks. Pivetta recorded 172 strikeouts and walked 36 batters this season, resulting in a 10.6 K\/9 and a 2.2 BB\/9 rate. For Boston to improve their rotation, they must find someone\u00a0who can replicate his productivity.<\/p>\n
While Pivetta\u2019s talent will be missed, the Sox need to take advantage of the opportunity to upgrade their rotation while keeping their costs down. The Sox can easily find a pitcher who controls the strike zone and doesn\u2019t cost a fortune\u00a0in a free agent class filled with diverse talent.\u00a0And there\u2019s a way to make that happen this offseason.<\/p>\n
Kikuchi is a top-ranked free agent who offers several desirable traits. He\u2019s coming off a solid season where he maintained a 4.05 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP while posting a career-best 206 strikeouts and 44 walks through 175 2\/3 innings. His left-handedness would also balance out the right-heavy Sox rotation. Also, Kikuchi\u2019s ability to bounce back from slumps is admirable. Though he struggled at times with the Mariners and Blue Jays, his trade to the Astros at this year\u2019s deadline really showed off his ceiling, providing promise for what\u2019s to come. Paying $42 million for three years, as predicted by\u00a0Jim Bowden of The Athletic, would be a small price to pay to add a star to the roster.<\/p>\n
Martinez is a more refined version of Pivetta. Though he doesn\u2019t pump out strikeouts at Pivetta\u2019s high rate, he still gets the job done while limiting runs and walks. He finished 2024 with a 3.10 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 4.0 WAR while only surrendering 13 home runs. His ability to switch between the starting rotation and bullpen would add versatility to a rotation that lacks depth and is susceptible to injuries. His $18.7 million per year price tag,\u00a0according to Spotrac, is a fair price to pay for Martinez\u2019s value. Perhaps the Sox can offer a two- or three-year deal at a lower AAV as Martinez heads into his age-34 season.<\/p>\n
Recently,\u00a0the Sox have reportedly shown strong interest in reuniting with Eovaldi. He was a stud while pitching for the Sox and has only gotten better since. Over 172 innings with the Rangers this year, he held a 3.80 ERA, tallying 166 strikeouts and 23 walks. His extensive experience in the postseason between Boston and Texas makes him an even more attractive free agent as the Sox hope to play October baseball in 2025. Eovaldi would be a great fit and an obvious rotation upgrade, and his estimated contract of $44 million over two years would be a bargain for a fantastic veteran (while fitting right into the Sox\u2019s range).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As fans and analysts suspected, Nick Pivetta almost certainly won\u2019t return to the Red Sox.\u00a0Jeff Passan of ESPN reported\u00a0that Pivetta will likely reject Boston\u2019s $21.05 million qualifying… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":8150,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n