Nick Pivetta will make his final start of the season for the Red Sox, and depending on how things play out this winter it could wind up being his final start in a Red Sox uniform full stop.
Pivetta, who will hit free agency at the conclusion of the season, will start Friday’s opener against the Tampa Bay Rays. Pivetta comes in with a 6-11 record, 4.21 ERA and 166 strikeouts in 139 innings, and ever since being acquired from the Philadelphia Phillies in 2020 he has appeared in 130 games for Boston, posting a 4.31 ERA over 626.1 innings, by far the highest total on the team over that stretch.
He will face off against Tampa Bay’s Taj Bradley, who is 7-11 with a 4.30 ERA.
Trevor Story will bat second in the order for Boston, with Triston Casas and Connor Wong in the third and fourth spots, and Ceddanne Rafaela will start in center field. Tyler O’Neill, who has been battling back tightness, is not in the lineup, though Red Sox manager Alex Cora said pregame that O’Neill could be back tomorrow.
Should Boston win Friday, the Red Sox will clinch at least a .500 record while ensuring a third-place finish in the AL East.
Jarren Duran LF
Trevor Story SS
Triston Casas 1B
Connor Wong C
Masataka Yoshida DH
Vaughn Grissom 2B
Wilyer Abreu RF
Nick Sogard 3B
Ceddanne Rafaela CF
Nick Pivetta P
When: 7:10 p.m.
Where: Fenway Park, Boston
Broadcast info: NESN, WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish)