Wikipedia

Nick Pivetta

Nicholas John Carlo Pivetta (born February 14, 1993) is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox. The Washington Nationals selected Pivetta in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB draft. He was traded to the Phillies during the 2015 season, and made his MLB debut with them in 2017 and played with them through 2020. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 220 pounds (100 kg), he throws and bats right-handed.

Nick Pivetta
Pivetta with the Phillies in 2019
Free agent
Pitcher
Born: (1993-02-14) February 14, 1993 (age 31)
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
April 30, 2017, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record56–71
Earned run average4.76
Strikeouts1,139
Teams

Career

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High school and college

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Pivetta was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He attended Lambrick Park Secondary School in Saanich, British Columbia. He missed pitching his senior year in high school due to an ulnar collateral ligament injury in his right elbow.[1][2] He was a member of the Canadian Junior National Team from 2009–12, pitching in the 2010 18U World Championship.[3]

He attended New Mexico Junior College where he played for the Thunderbirds on a baseball scholarship, and graduated in 2013.[4][5][1] In his first season, he was 4–1 with a 4.83 ERA in 54 innings.[1] As a sophomore in 2013, he was 9–2 with a 3.36 ERA, had a .235 batting average against, and pitched six complete games.[1] Baseball America named him the 6th-best junior college prospect in 2013, and Perfect Game USA ranked him the 3rd-best junior college prospect, as his fastball reached as high as 97 miles per hour.[6][1] He played for the Victoria Eagles of the youth baseball British Columbia Premier Baseball League, and the Victoria HarbourCats of the collegiate summer West Coast League.[7]

Washington Nationals

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The Washington Nationals selected Pivetta in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB draft out of New Mexico Junior College.[8] He signed with the Nationals for $364,300, and made his professional debut with the Gulf Coast Nationals of the Rookie Gulf Coast League.[1] He ended the season with the Auburn Doubledays of the Class A- New York-Pennsylvania League. In nine games (eight starts) between the two teams, he was 1–1 with a 2.91 ERA.

Pivetta spent 2014 with the Class A Hagerstown Suns, where he was a South Atlantic League mid-season All-Star, the June 23 SAL Pitcher of the Week, and where his 13 wins were third in the SAL and tied for first among all Washington minor leaguers.[9][10][1][11] He finished the season with a 13–8 record, 4.22 ERA, and 1.37 WHIP in 26 games (25 starts; tied for 7th in the league). Following the season, Baseball America named him the 10th-best prospect in the Nationals' minor league system.[11]

In 2015, Pivetta was 7–4 with a 2.29 ERA for the Class A-Advanced Potomac Nationals, and was a Carolina League All Star.[9]

Philadelphia Phillies

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2015–2017

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On July 28, 2015, the Nationals traded Pivetta to the Philadelphia Phillies for Jonathan Papelbon.[12]

In 2016, he was 11–6 (his 11 wins were 3rd in the league) with a 3.41 ERA (6th) and 111 strikeouts (6th) for the Double-A Reading Phillies, with whom Pivetta was an Eastern League mid-season All Star.[5] He was also 1–2 with a 2.55 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 24.2 innings in five starts for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.[13] The Phillies added him to their 40-man roster after the 2016 season.[14]

Pivetta played for Team Canada in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.[5]

In 2017, Pivetta went 5–0 with a 1.41 ERA for the IronPigs, and was Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Week for the week ended April 16.[5] Pivetta was promoted to the 25-man roster on April 30, making his MLB debut the same day against the Los Angeles Dodgers.[15] He went 8–10 with a 6.02 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 133 innings for the Phillies.[13] Among Major League rookies, he was 1st in strikeouts-per-nine-innings-pitched (9.47, minimum 125 innings pitched; the highest ratio ever by a Phillies rookie with at least 25 starts), and 3rd in strikeouts (140; tied for the 9th-most strikeouts in a season ever by a Phillies rookie).[11]

2018–2020

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Nick Pivetta in 2018

In 2018, Pivetta was 7–14 with a 4.77 ERA, 5th in the National League with 10.32 strikeouts-per-9-innings-pitched (the 2nd-highest rate of any Phillie pitcher in franchise history, behind Curt Schilling's 11.29 in 1997), 8th in the NL in strikeouts (188) and wild pitches (11), 9th in the NL in games started (32) and strikeouts/walk (3.69), and led the major leagues in allowing opposing batters the highest batting average on balls in play (.326).[16][17][18][19] He struck out a career-high 13 batters on June 18 against St. Louis.[16] His fastball was clocked as high as 98 miles per hour.[20]

In 2019, Pivetta struggled at the beginning of the season before being demoted to AAA. With Lehigh Valley he was 5–1 with a 3.07 ERA, as in 9 games (6 starts) and 41.0 innings he struck out 58 batters (with a 12.7 strikeouts/innings ratio, 5th-best in the International League), and giving up 23 hits had the best hits/9 innings ratio in the league at 5.0.[13][21] On July 19, it was announced he would be shifted to a relief role. In 2019 with the Phillies he was 4–6 with one save and a 5.38 ERA, as in 30 games (13 starts) he pitched 93.2 innings.[13]

Pivetta made three appearances with Philadelphia during the start-delayed 2020 season, registering a 15.88 ERA in 5+2⁄3 innings pitched.[18]

Boston Red Sox

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2020–2021

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On August 21, 2020, Pivetta was traded to the Boston Red Sox, along with Connor Seabold, in exchange for Brandon Workman, Heath Hembree and cash.[22] Pivetta was added to Boston's active roster on September 22,[23] making a start that day against the Baltimore Orioles.[24] In his two appearances for the 2020 Red Sox, Pivetta earned two wins while compiling a 1.80 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 10 innings pitched.[18]

Pivetta started the 2021 season as part of Boston's starting rotation. In his first seven starts, he compiled a 5–0 record, before being placed on the COVID-related injured list for one day, May 12, due to vaccine side effects.[25][26] On June 24, Pivetta pitched a no hitter for 6+2⁄3 against the Tampa Bay Rays; he was removed from the game after throwing more than 100 pitches, and the Red Sox went on to lose both the no hitter and the game.[27] On September 5, Pivetta was placed on the COVID-related injured list;[28] he returned to the team on September 12.[29] Overall during the regular season, Pivetta made 31 appearances (30 starts) for Boston, compiling a 9–8 record with 4.53 ERA—he earned a save in his lone relief appearance—while striking out 175 batters in 155 innings.[18] He made three appearances (one start) in the postseason, allowing four runs in 13+2⁄3 innings.[18]

2022–2024

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Pivetta returned to the Red Sox rotation in 2022; making 33 starts he compiled a 10–12 record with a 4.56 ERA while striking out 175 batters in 179+2⁄3 innings.[18]

On January 13, 2023, the Red Sox and Pivetta reached agreement on a one-year contract, avoiding salary arbitration.[30] After making eight starts for Boston, in which he struggled to a 6.30 ERA, Pivetta was moved to the bullpen on May 17.[31] Pivetta's season turned around once being moved to the bullpen, where he pitched to a sub-2.00 ERA,[32] often pitching in long relief after an opener. On July 17, Pivetta pitched six hitless and scoreless innings of relief against the Oakland Athletics during which he recorded 13 strikeouts, setting a new Red Sox franchise record for the most strikeouts in a relief appearance.[33]

Pivetta began the 2024 season in the starting rotation. He was placed on the injured list on April 9, due to a right elbow flexor strain.[34] He remained on the injured list until being activated on May 8.[35] On May 30, Pivetta tied a Red Sox franchise record, previously set by Roger Clemens, by striking out eight consecutive batters.[36]

Pitching style

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Pivetta throws a four-seam fastball, a curveball, a slider, and a changeup.[37] He relies mostly on his fastball, which averages 96 miles per hour (154 km/h), and his two breaking balls.[38] In 2017 and 2018, he threw his fastball 59% of the time, his 80-mile-per-hour (130 km/h) curve 19% of the time, and his 85-mile-per-hour (137 km/h) slider 15% of the time.[39]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Where are they now: Nick Pivetta," Albuquerque Journal.
  2. ^ "Opening Day starter Nick Pivetta moves at rapid pace" | Sports | insidenova.com
  3. ^ Baseball Canada | "Pivetta to make big league debut in Los Angeles"
  4. ^ Victoria HarbourCats | "HarbourCats alum Pivetta promoted to major leagues"
  5. ^ a b c d "Nick Pivetta Stats, Fantasy & News" | MLB.com
  6. ^ Victoria HarbourCats | Awards
  7. ^ Dheensaw, Cleve (February 14, 2017). "Pivetta in Canadian lineup for World Baseball Classic". Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  8. ^ "Washington tabs righty Pivetta at No. 136". Washington Nationals. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Nick Pivetta Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  10. ^ "Pivetta gets call to ease Suns into new season". Herald Mail Media. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  11. ^ a b c "Nick Pivetta Stats, Fantasy & News". Philadelphia Phillies. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
  12. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies trade Jonathan Papelbon to Washington Nationals". ESPN. July 28, 2015. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
  13. ^ a b c d "Nick Pivetta Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  14. ^ "Phillies add 11 players in 40-man roster overhaul". November 18, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  15. ^ Zolecki, Todd (April 30, 2017). "Pivetta set to debut on big league stage in LA: Phillies prospect was 3–0 with 0.95 ERA in Triple-A". mlb.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  16. ^ a b Nick Pivetta Stats, Fantasy & News | MLB.com
  17. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies Top 10 Single-Season Pitching Leaders"
  18. ^ a b c d e f "Nick Pivetta Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  19. ^ "Major League Leaderboards » 2017 » Pitchers » Dashboard" | FanGraphs Baseball
  20. ^ "Nick Pivetta," Pitcher List.
  21. ^ "2019 International League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-Reference.com. January 1, 1970. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  22. ^ "Phils acquire relievers Workman, Hembree". MLB.com. August 21, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  23. ^ "Red Sox Roster & Staff – Transactions". MLB.com. September 2020. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  24. ^ "Orioles vs. Red Sox". ESPN.com. September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
  25. ^ "Red Sox's Nick Pivetta: Lands on COVID IL". CBS Sports. May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  26. ^ Cotillo, Chris (May 13, 2021). "Boston Red Sox activate Nick Pivetta, who will likely start Friday; reliever Eduard Bazardo sent back to WooSox". MassLive.com. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  27. ^ "What Alex Cora said about pulling Nick Pivetta 6.2 innings into a no-hitter".
  28. ^ Powtak, Ken (September 5, 2021). "Red Sox add RHP Pivetta, INF/OF Santana to COVID-19 IL". Star Tribune. Minnesota. AP. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  29. ^ "Red Sox's Nick Pivetta: Activated to start Sunday". CBS Sports. September 12, 2021. Retrieved September 12, 2021.
  30. ^ McWilliams, Julian (January 13, 2023). "Red Sox agree on contracts with their remaining five arbitration-eligibles". The Boston Globe. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  31. ^ "Red Sox's Nick Pivetta: Moving to bullpen". cbssports.com. May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2023.
  32. ^ "Nick Pivetta sticks to bullpen routine in return to the Red Sox rotation". August 2023.
  33. ^ Cotillo, Chris (July 18, 2023). "Nick Pivetta (13 relief Ks) sets Red Sox record in shutout win over A's". masslive.com. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  34. ^ "Pivetta goes on IL with right elbow flexor strain". MLB.com. Boston Red Sox. April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
  35. ^ Ehler, Matthew (May 8, 2024). "Just days after being traded, Red Sox designate ex-Tiger infielder for assignment". mlive.com. Retrieved May 8, 2024 – via MSN.com.
  36. ^ Browne, Ian (May 30, 2024). "Man on fire: Pivetta ties record with 8 straight K's". MLB.com. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  37. ^ "BrooksBaseball.net Player Card: Nick Pivetta". www.brooksbaseball.net. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  38. ^ Player Card: Nick Pivetta
  39. ^ Player Card: Nick Pivetta
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