SEATTLE — Nick Pivetta finished the 2023 season strong after a tough start, posting a 3.05 ERA (97 ⅓ innings, 33 earned runs) and 3.27 FIP in his final 28 games (eight starts). Opponents batted just .197 against him during the stretch.
After spending most of last season as a bulk reliever (following an opener), the Red Sox righty earned back his starting rotation spot in September. And he believes it’s possible to bring momentum from one season into the next.
“I don’t think anything’s not possible,” Pivetta said. “I think I’m carrying just as much momentum from last season into this season.”
Pivetta picked up right where he left off in his first start of 2024. He pitched 6 innings and allowed one run, three hits and no walks while striking out 10. He recorded 17 swings and misses but the Red Sox lost 1-0 to the Mariners.
“Nick was outstanding,” manager Alex Cora said.
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Seattle’s George Kirby was slightly better. He went 6 ⅔ scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks while striking out eight.
Pivetta said he tried to pound the strike zone and get ahead of hitters as often as he could. The righty threw 57 of his 84 pitches (68%) for strikes.
“I think my curveball getting over for first-pitch strikes was really beneficial,” Pivetta said. “And then I was able to use my sweeper later to induce a lot of weak contact and swings and misses.”
The sweeper is a pitch he added during last season after being demoted to the bullpen.
“It’s been a huge contributor to my success,” Pivetta said. “Giving another look. And just being able to execute a little bit better later last year and into this year has helped. I know we’re still early but I have a little bit more feel for that pitch. It’s been good.”
Pivetta threw 28 sweepers and got eight swings and misses with it. He mixed in 24 four-seam fastballs (four swings and misses), 16 cutters (three swings and misses) and 16 curveballs (two swings and misses). His fastball averaged 94.1 mph and he topped out at 96.3 mph, per Baseball Savant.
“Finally the breaking ball played,” Cora said. “He struggled with it the whole spring. Tonight he threw it for strikes. The cutter was good. The sweeper was great. The fastball played at 93, 94 (mph).”
The 2023 season didn’t begin well for the righty as he posted a 6.30 ERA in his first eight starts, then got demoted to the bullpen. But he finished the season with career bests in ERA (4.04), WHIP (1.12) and opponent batting average (.208). He struck out 31.2% of the batters he faced, also a career high. He finished second among Red Sox pitchers in innings pitched (142 ⅔ innings).
“Obviously he added a few things to his repertoire,” Cora said. “He’s a much more complete pitcher than what he was earlier in the (2023) season. And I love when he pitches. The way he competes, the way the day goes, it’s fun to have Nicky P on the mound.”
