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Two Red Sox starters close to rejoining rotation
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — There’s a “good chance” Nick Pivetta will be activated from the 15-day injured list to start in Atlanta this coming week.
The Red Sox play at Truist Park against the Braves on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Pivetta (elbow flexor strain) made a rehab start for Triple-A Worcester on Thursday. The righty pitched 3 innings and allowed four runs, three hits and four walks while striking out five. He threw 62 pitches (36 for strikes).
He walked the first two batters of the game, then allowed three straight singles. He threw 30 pitches in the first inning. The automated ball-strike system created a tight strike zone.
“Threw the ball well. Struggled early with command or the strike zone, whatever it was,” manager Alex Cora said Saturday at Target Field before Boston’s game against the Twins. “But got on a roll. Spoke to (WooSox manager) Chad (Tracy) today. Very happy with the way he competed. Velo was good and everything is trending in the right direction. So hopefully he feels good tomorrow and there’s a good chance he’ll pitch in Atlanta.”
His four-seam fastball averaged 94.7 mph and topped out at 96.4 mph.
Pivetta told reporters in Worcester, including Beyond the Monster’s Chris Henrique, that he hopes the automated ball-strike system never is used in Major League Baseball.
“I was watching and it got very dangerous for us because he had like 20-something pitches,” Cora said. “They were warming up somebody. If he comes out, he’s not pitching in Atlanta. Yeah, it was very tight. I was watching the game and the first inning I was like, ‘Wow, this is going to be tough for the pitchers.’”
Bello to start Tuesday in Portland
Red Sox starter Brayan Bello (right lat tightness) will make a rehab start for Double-A Portland on Tuesday. Cora expects that Bello will need just one rehab start before returning to Boston’s starting rotation.
