Braves Called Top Fit For Red Sox $7.5 Million Starter: ‘Willing Suitor’

The former Red Sox fan-favorite surely will find a new home soon

Apr 29, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; A view of the Boston Red Sox logo and a field bag during batting practice before the game between the Texas Rangers and the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Soon enough, a former Boston Red Sox fan-favorite will find a new opportunity.

Former Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta has been the subject of plenty of chatter this offseason. He logged a 4.14 ERA last season for Boston across 27 total appearances, including 26 starts. Boston offered him the qualifying offer, but he turned it down.

Now, he’s looking for a multi-year deal and is one of the top remaining free agents with less than a month to go until Spring Training.

FOX Sports’ Deesha Thosar and Rowan Kavner made a list of the top remaining free agents with top landing spots. They had Pivetta at No. 9 and suggested the Atlanta Braves for Pivetta.

“(Chris Sale) was the best pitcher in the National League last year, but the 2024 season was the first time he logged more than 20 starts since 2019,” Kavner said. “It was also the first time Reynaldo López was a full-time starter in four years, and his body started to wear down late in a terrific return to the rotation. The Braves should be excited about the follow-up campaign for Spencer Schwellenbach, and it's more than reasonable to expect AJ Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep, or one of their young arms to take a leap forward. Still, this is a team that has done nothing of note this offseason and could use more depth to complete a thinned-out rotation.

“If the Braves want to keep the honor of the best strikeout-to-walk ratio in the majors, Pivetta would help. He pitched much better in 2024 than his 6-12 record or 4.14 ERA would indicate (his expected ERA was 3.51), putting together the 10th-best K/BB ratio among all starters with at least 100 innings. The qualifying offer he rejected could be a hold-up in finding a new team, but perhaps the Braves — who will be getting a compensation pick after (Max Fried) went to the Yankees — would be a willing suitor.”

This isn’t the first time Pivetta has been linked to the Braves. Atlanta let Fried walk in free agency and could use another starter. Pivetta is one of the best players out there for the taking.

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