Where will the Red Sox fan-favorite land this winter?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73623709/2171425546.0.jpg)
One of the biggest questions swirling around the Boston Red Sox this offseason already has been answered.
The Red Sox made a surprising decision early in the offseason and offered fan-favorite starting pitcher Nick Pivetta the roughly $21 million qualifying offer. He made around $7 million in 2024 so this was a surprising move because it would’ve been a massive overpay.
With the qualifying offer, if a player declines and signs elsewhere, it leads to draft compensation. Boston rolled the dice and now it’s been reported that Pivetta did end up declining the offer ahead of the Tuesday deadline, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.
“Nick Pivetta declines qualifying offer, per source,” Cotillo said.
Pivetta has been with the Red Sox since 2020, and now it seems like his time with the organization could be coming to an end. This isn’t a guarantee. Boston could end up signing Pivetta to a new deal itself, but it does seem unlikely.
Where the Red Sox roster stands: Nick Pivetta declines QO, two prospects added
Meanwhile the club added Dobbins and Garcia to protect them from the Rule 5 draft, which takes place Dec. 11.
Dobbins, the Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2024, made 21 starts at Double-A Portland and another four starts at Triple-A Worcester, posting a 3.08 ERA, 22.9 percent strikeout rate and 9.1 percent walk rate between the two levels. The 25-year-old was drafted by the Red Sox in the eighth round in 2021 and features a mid-to-upper 90s fastball, along with a slider, curveball, sweeper and hybrid splitter-sinker pitch. As the Red Sox seek to expand their pitching depth, he offers another option at Triple A to bolster the team.
Dobbins and Garcia were added to protect them from being selected by other teams in the draft, but unlike players selected in the Rule 5 Draft, they can be optioned to the minors and do not need to stay on the club’s big-league roster.
The Red Sox have already made one addition to their bullpen this offseason in reliever Justin Wilson, who signed a one-year deal last week.
To make room for Dobbins and Garcia, the Red Sox parted with Mata and Campbell.
Mata, 25, once was one of Boston’s most promising pitching prospects, having signed with the club as a teenager in 2016, but his career was derailed by several injuries over the last few seasons, including Tommy John surgery in 2021. Over 108 career minor league games, 101 starts, he posted a 3.46 ERA.
The Red Sox acquired Campbell last offseason to be a part of the bullpen, but he pitched in just eight games before landing on the injured list with a right shoulder impingement. Following a rehab assignment, he returned to the Red Sox for one game before being optioned to Triple-A Worcester. In 14 games for Worcester, he posted a 2.20 ERA before he landed on the IL with elbow inflammation in September.
There are still several players likely to be designated for assignment or traded as the offseason unfolds and the Red Sox seek to add to their rotation, bullpen and lineup.
In the meantime, with Tuesday’s moves, the Red Sox’s 40-man roster is full and includes:
Pitchers (24):
Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Lucas Giolito, Garrett Whitlock, Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts, Brennan Bernardino, Cam Booser, Luis Guerrero, Liam Hendriks, Zack Kelly, Justin Slaten, Greg Weissert, Justin Wilson, Josh Winckowski, Wikelman Gonzalez, Bailey Horn, Chris Murphy, Zach Penrod, Luis Perales, Quinn Priester, Chase Shugart, Hunter Dobbins
Catchers (1):
Connor Wong
Infielders (6):
Triston Casas, Rafael Devers, Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, Trevor Story, Enmanuel Valdez
Outfielders (5):
Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Rob Refsnyder, Masataka Yoshida, Jhostynxon Garcia
Infielder/Outfielders (4):
Mickey Gasper, Romy González, Ceddanne Rafaela, Nick Sogard
Leave a Reply