Recovering Red Sox Hurler Expected To Start Thursday Versus Orioles

Boston's rotation may have just lost an arm, but it's adding another

Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox / Getty Images Sport via Getty Images

The Boston Red Sox are expecting one of their starting pitchers back on the mound this week after a skipped start.

31-year-old hurler Nick Pivetta has been receiving some extra rest at the behest of Alex Cora, who noticed Pivetta suffering from arm fatigue last week.

It was reported over the weekend (per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic) that Pivetta was participating in a bullpen session on Sunday in preparation for either a Wednesday or Thursday start this week.

Now, it looks like Pivetta is scheduled to start Thursday for the series opener against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. Boston will send Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, and Tanner Houck to the mound for its series versus the Texas Rangers beginning Monday.

News of Pivetta's return is comforting for a Red Sox rotation that suffered a loss on Sunday with the freak injury to James Paxton's leg. MRI results on Paxton are still pending. The injury was initially diagnosed as a calf strain, and the Red Sox are hoping it's not something worse.

Boston is reeling from a Fenway Park weekend beatdown at the hands (rather, the bats) of the Houston Astros, who outscored the Red Sox 23-10 over a three-game sweep.

Boston will rely on Pivetta to provide quality outings now that his arm is refreshed, but the Red Sox will also need their bullpen to get its act together.

Boston was three games back of the third spot in the Wild Card entering Monday. The margin for error could not be much slimmer with 46 games remaining.

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