In the end, Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow’s gamble paid off. By extending a one-year, $21 million qualifying offer to the inconsistent starting pitcher, Breslow bet on a strong market for the veteran right-hander, confident He would decline the offer.
It was a calculated risk—He had the option to accept the deal, securing a hefty payday for 2025 and giving himself another chance at free agency the following winter.
When the Red Sox made the offer, MassLive writer Chris Cotillo described it as “shocking” on *The Fenway Rundown* podcast, noting, “He gets the qualifying offer from the Red Sox. That was interesting just because it wasn’t, as the kids say, on the bingo card.”
However, Breslow understood the likelihood of a multi-year market for a pitcher of Pivetta’s caliber. He also knew that if Pivetta turned down the offer, the Red Sox would gain a late second-round draft pick as compensation.
Red Sox’s Nick Pivetta Makes it Official
On Tuesday, the MLB qualifying offer deadline, Nick Pivetta informed the Red Sox that he would test free agency after five seasons with the team, during which he compiled a 37-41 record and a 4.29 ERA. This signals that the Red Sox are likely moving on from the 31-year-old as they explore better options in the market.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Red Sox are actively pursuing upgrades, including competing in the Juan Soto sweepstakes and targeting a top-tier starting pitcher. Passan identified Atlanta’s Max Fried and San Francisco’s Blake Snell as potential targets for Boston.
Adding either pitcher would provide a significant boost to their rotation. By the conclusion of Boston’s 2024 season, they had solidified three rotation pieces: Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, and Tanner Houck, who may have been the standout of the group. Additionally, Lucas Giolito, last year’s key pitching acquisition, is recovering from an elbow injury sustained during spring training.
Despite this core, the Red Sox still need frontline talent and greater depth. They are considered leading contenders for a trade involving White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet and are also linked to Snell and Fried in free agency. Pairing Snell or Fried with Bello, Crawford, and Houck (the latter possibly included in a Crochet trade) could position Boston’s rotation as one of the strongest.
While acquiring both star pitchers seems unlikely, Pivetta’s exit creates the flexibility needed to pursue these ambitious upgrades.
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