"Prepared for Opening Day against the Yankees" - Boston Red Sox coach hints at pitcher's plans ahead of the 2022 season

The Boston Red Sox enter the 2022 season with many concerns about their starting pitching. With ace Chris Sale likely out for the first part of the season, the team will need to rely on others in the organization to fill this hole.

Not only will Chris Sale miss Opening Day, but the Boston Red Sox are also without their best starting pitcher from a year ago. Eduardo Rodriguez signed with the Detroit Tigers this offseason and was the team's most reliable starter last season.

One starter in the organization that the Red Sox are hoping will make up for these losses is Nick Pivetta. Pivetta is currently projected to be the Red Sox's number two starter and has shown signs of promise over the past several years.

The Boston Red Sox manager said he wasn't worried about the Red Sox pitching during Spring Training but instead about getting ready to play the New York Yankees on Opening Day.

"I think that's the way that you need to go about your business, is that you're prepared for Opening Day against the Yankees, and I think that's where I'm at right now. That's all we're focused on." - @ Alex Cora via @ Dawn Klemish

"Nick Pivetta didn’t have his sharpest day on the mound (3 ER), but he racked up 5 Ks over his 4 innings of work. He’s now up to 16 Ks in 10.2 IP this spring." - @ Tyler Milliken

Boston Red Sox player bio: Nick Pivetta

Nick Pivetta was born February 14, 1993, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft.

Pivetta was traded in 2015 from the Nationals to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for closer Jonathan Papelbon. The top prospect went on to make his Major League debut on April 30, 2017, for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Pivetta's time with the Phillies did not go as planned, as he compiled a 19-30 record with a 5.50 ERA. These struggles led to the young pitcher being traded to the Boston Red Sox in August of 2020.

What Nick Pivetta gives the Boston Red Sox

Since joining the Boston Red Sox, Pivetta has shown signs of his potential. Pivetta throws a mid-90s fastball and has one of the better curveballs in all of baseball when he is able to control it. Here is an example of how good his curveball can be.

"Nick Pivetta, Pretty 76mph Curveball." - @ Rob Friedman

Since joining the Red Sox, Pivetta has had an 11-8 record with a respectable 4.53 ERA in a tough American League East. Pivetta turned 29 this offseason and is in the prime of his career. If the Red Sox want to have any success this season, they need to have Pivetta stay healthy and be a reliable starting pitcher.

Watch for Pivetta to be among the game's breakout starting pitchers in 2022. He hasn't quite put a full season together, but the potential is there and, behind an improved Red Sox defense, could be much improved.