Angels Eyeing Red Sox’s Fan-Favorite Pitcher Nick Pivetta
The Los Angeles Angels, while initially aggressive in the offseason, have recently adopted a more measured approach. Despite possessing notable talent, led by the iconic Mike Trout, the Angels have struggled to secure a playoff berth, lingering in a phase of consistent underachievement. Rather than opting for a full-scale rebuild, the team has made incremental moves, hinting at potentially more significant transactions on the horizon.
Pitching Woes and the Search for Solutions*
One glaring gap in the Angels’ lineup is the need for strengthened pitching. MLB.com’s Thomas Harrigan singled out the Angels as the prime candidate to secure the services of the former Boston Red Sox favorite, Nick Pivetta. The pitcher’s market value has been influenced by various factors, particularly the Draft-pick compensation linked to him after rejecting the Red Sox’s lucrative one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer. Despite Pivetta’s promising potential, the pool of teams willing to engage in a multi-year contract and sacrifice draft picks for a pitcher without a sub-4.00 ERA throughout his eight-year career is anticipated to be limited.
An Opportunity for Reinforcement*
Considering the Angels’ recent acquisitions of Yusei Kikuchi and Kyle Hendricks in free agency, the team’s rotation remains forecasted to rank among the bottom ten in the league. Positioned as a team that neither exceeded the Competitive Balance Tax nor received revenue-sharing in 2024, the Angels would be required to surrender their second-highest draft pick (No. 46) and $500,000 from their international bonus pool to secure Pivetta’s services—a reasonable investment given the circumstances.
Financial Leverage and Pitching Prospects*
With financial resources at their disposal and an evident void in the rotation, the Angels are well-placed to offer Pivetta an attractive proposition. Having earned a modest $7.5 million with the Red Sox in the previous season, Pivetta is poised to command a higher salary. A potential move to the Angels would afford him the chance to anchor a team’s pitching staff, potentially elevating his role to a prominent position within the rotation.