(Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images)
If you take a look at the Boston Red Sox‘s Nick Pivetta and his stats this season, you probably won’t see anything special.
He has a 4.44 ERA in 75 innings.
However, sometimes we have to take a closer look to understand the true value of a pitcher.
Was there a recent role change?
Are there any interesting splits?
How about his recent performance?
When it comes to Pivetta’s season, all these things are worth paying attention to.
He started the season as a member of the Red Sox rotation.
However, with Brayan Bello’s emergence and the return of James Paxton, he lost his spot after some inconsistent performances.
He was moved to a bulk relief role after an opener.
There, he has been brilliant.
On Monday, he completely dominated the Oakland Athletics for six innings, in which he didn’t allow any runs and struck out 13 hitters.
He did something that only a handful of other relievers have achieved, per Codify Baseball.
Only 4 times in all of MLB history has a reliever had more strikeouts in a game than Nick Pivetta had last night!
(and they all pitched more innings in their appearances) https://t.co/HxnjfVuHxG
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) July 18, 2023
He didn’t even concede any hits, and walked just two batters.
In his eight starts this year, Pivetta has a 6.30 ERA in 40 frames.
As a reliever?
A 2.31 ERA in 35 frames.
He has been really effective in his new role, and is part of the reason why the Red Sox have blossomed into real postseason contenders this year.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Boston is 51-44 and looking to keep climbing up the standings in the AL East.
They are fourth in the division, but eight games behind the top spot occupied by the Tampa Bay Rays.
It’s not crazy to think that the Red Sox can make it into October at this point.
The post Nick Pivetta Had A Relief Outing For The Ages appeared first on The Cold Wire.