The Boston Red Sox starting rotation isn’t being held together by much with three pitchers from the staff currently on the injured list.
But one of those arms is getting closer to a return.
Nick Pivetta, who was placed on the IL on April 9 due to a right elbow flexor strain, took a step toward rejoining the Red Sox on Thursday night with his first rehab outing with Triple-A Worcester.
The veteran right-hander wasn’t at his sharpest with Worcester, which felt somewhat inevitable since Pivetta hadn’t pitched in a game since April 3. He pitched three-plus innings, letting up four runs on three hits while striking out five. Pivetta’s control was an issue as he threw 36 of his 62 pitches for strikes and walked four.
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After allowing the first five batters he faced to reach base, Pivetta settled in and retired nine straight. Pivetta worked into the fourth inning but walked two consecutive batters before he came out.
“I was able to get the pitches that I wanted to, feeling healthy, strong, walked a ton of guys, didn’t really get ahead of counts,” Pivetta told reporters, per the Worcester Telegram’s Tommy Cassell. “I have some mechanical adjustments to work on, but I’ll be fine.”
That might end up being the only rehab outing for Pivetta. Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters Thursday that Pivetta could return to the big leagues when Boston takes on the Atlanta Braves in a two-game road series which begins next Tuesday.
Pivetta is 1-1 through two starts with the Red Sox this season and posted a miniscule 0.82 ERA and an outstanding 13-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
