Category: Sports

Red Sox’ Alex Cora likes what he has seen from prospects Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu in spring training

Enmanuel Valdez will bat eighth and get the start at second base when the Red Sox take on Northeastern in their first spring training game at JetBlue Park on Friday afternoon.

Boston acquired Valdez and outfield prospect Wilyer Abreu from the Astros in exchange for catcher Christian Vazquez last August. Both players were added to the Red Sox’ 40-man roster back in November.

Valdez is currently regarded by Baseball America as the No. 19 prospect in Boston’s farm system. Abreu, on the other hand, is ranked 22nd. The pair are both attending their first big-league camp and have had the chance to make an impression on Red Sox manager Alex Cora since arriving in Fort Myers, Fla. earlier this month.

“He can hit,” Cora said of Valdez when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) at the Fenway South complex on Thursday. “This kid, he can hit. He controls the strike zone. He can hit. So we’ll try to help him defensively. More comfortable at second than other places. Both of them, Abreu and Valdez, they control the strike zone. They do damage in the strike zone. I’m excited to see them.”

Cora added that Valdez and Abreu will both be in the starting lineup when the Red Sox travel to West Palm Beach and go up against the Astros in Grapefruit League play next Wednesday.

Valdez, 24, batted .296/.376/.542 with 35 doubles, two triples, 28 home runs, 107 RBIs, 92 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 64 walks, and 124 strikeouts in 126 games (573 plate appearances) between Double-A and Triple-A last year. After getting traded over the summer, the left-handed hitter slashed .237/.309/.422 with nine doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 30 RBIs, 26 runs scored, three stolen bases, 19 walks, and 48 strikeouts in 44 games (195 plate appearances) with Triple-A Worcester.

Defensively, Valdez saw playing time at five different positions last season. With the WooSox alone, the 5-foot-9, 191-pounder out of the Dominican Republic logged 330 innings at second base, 24 innings at third base, and 25 innings in left field.

“He can [play outfield],” said Cora. “But I think here, we’ll move him around in the infield.”

Valdez, meanwhile, spent the entirety of the 2022 campaign at Double-A, batting .247/.399/.459 with 29 doubles, 19 home runs, 73 RBIs, 106 runs scored, 31 stolen bases, 114 walks, and 153 strikeouts over 129 total games (579 plate appearances). Upon switching organizations for the first time in his career, the left-handed hitting Venezuelan posted a .242/.399/.375 slash line with five doubles, four homers, 19 RBIs, 25 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 36 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 40 games (168 plate appearances) for Double-A Portland.

On the other side of the ball, Abreu made starts at all three outfield spots last year. With the Sea Dogs specifically, the 6-foot, 217-pounder logged 141 innings in left, 121 innings in center, and 73 innings in right while registering one outfield assist.

“I think we really got a guy who’s an incredible defender,” Red Sox director of player development Brian Abraham said of Abreu in a separate conversation with Smith. “Probably at times undersold in a lot of ways. He can play center field. He has a plus arm and moves really well. Not really fast but a really good first step and can move really quick in the outfield. All-around player that we’re really excited to have.”

(Picture of Enmanuel Valdez: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Former Red Sox pitching prospect Noah Song cleared to resume career with Phillies

Former Red Sox pitching prospect Noah Song is about to make his return to professional baseball with a new organization.

Song, who was taken by the Phillies in December’s Rule 5 Draft, has been transferred from active Naval duty to selective reserves and will report to Philadelphia’s spring training camp in Clearwater, Fla. on Thursday, according to Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Song’s situation is quite complex. The 25-year-old right-hander was originally selected by Boston in the fourth round of the 2019 amateur draft out of the United States Naval Academy. He was considered to be a first-round talent after being named a Golden Spikes finalist as a senior, but his military commitment created some question marks.

Still, the Red Sox took somewhat of a chance on Song by signing him for $100,000. The California native made his pro debut with short-season Lowell and forged a miniscule 1.06 ERA in seven starts (17 innings) with the Spinners. He then made five scoreless relief appearances for Team USA in the Premier12 tournament that fall.

That was the last time Song pitched competitively. He reported to flight school in 2020 and completed his flight training last May. Song then applied to the Secretary of the Navy for a waiver that would allow him to continue his baseball career, but it was not granted by the time the Red Sox lost him to the Phillies on the final day of the Winter Meetings in mid-December.

If the Phillies intend on keeping Song, he will have to stick on their active 26-man roster (or injured list if he is hurt) for the entirety of the 2023 season. If those conditions cannot be met, Philadelphia could trade Song away, but those conditions would apply to his new team. Regardless, Song must remain in the majors for the entire season or would otherwise be offered back to the Red Sox for $50,000. At that point, Boston would not have to commit an active or 40-man roster spot to Song.

Song, who turns 26 in May, was once considered to be one of the top pitching prospects in Boston’s farm system. With that being said, it could be tough for the righty to stick on Philadelphia’s (or another club’s, if he is traded or waived) for the whole season considering that it has been nearly four years since he last pitched in a real game.

If Song is able to make an impact at the big-league level (whether it be in Philadelphia or elsewhere), then that would mean Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom let a talented young pitcher go for a mere $100,000 (the fee a team pays to claim a Rule 5 pick). If Song is not yet ready for the majors, then the Red Sox would be able to retain his services with his military commitment already behind him.

The fact that former Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who drafted Song in 2019, was the one who plucked the hurler from the organization makes this all the more interesting. As noted by Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, Dombrowski and Phillies general manager Sam Fuld both had smiles on their faces at the time the selection was made.

“We made sure to double-check that he was available to be drafted, which he was,” Dombrowski said of Song back in December. “I knew him at the time (of the 2019 draft). We loved him. We thought he was a No. 1 Draft choice; we thought he might be the best starting pitcher in the country. We took a gamble at that point because we thought maybe he wouldn’t have to serve, but he ended up having to do that.

“Being available like this, we really had nothing to lose,” he added. “We like his talent a lot. We get to put him on the military list right off the bat, so he’s not on our 40-man roster. We figured we’d take a chance and just see what ends up happening.”

As Dombrowski alluded to then, the Phillies immediately placed Song on the military service list so that he would not count against their 40-man roster. According to Baseball America, the Red Sox could have added Song to their 40-man roster then placed him on the military service list, which would have made him ineligible for the Rule 5 Draft. By doing that, though, they would have been required to immediately add Song to the 40-man roster once he was eligible to pitch again.

Bloom, for his part, explained why the Red Sox elected to not protect Song when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) at the conclusion of the Rule 5 Draft.

“Anytime you leave somebody unprotected, there’s always a chance they get picked,” Bloom said. “He’s a high-profile guy for a reason. Obviously, such a unique situation. You don’t ever want to lose anybody. Given his situation, we felt that when he returns from his commitment, being on the 40-man roster would not be an ideal situation to have. That’s a risk we were willing to take.”

(Picture of Noah Song: Gene Wang/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Nick Pivetta won’t pitch for Canada in World Baseball Classic

Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta will not pitch for Canada in the World Baseball Classic, manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) in Fort Myers, Fla. on Wednesday.

Pivetta was named to Team Canada’s final roster for the upcoming tournament but elected to pull out after consulting with Red Sox officials in recent days. The right-hander had COVID-19 earlier this month, which interrupted his throwing program, and is still dealing with aftereffects from the virus.

“His recovery has been slow,” Cora said. “He has been able to do stuff but not at the pace he was before.”

Pivetta is still expected to be ready for the start of the 2023 season in late March. Because he was slated to pitch in the WBC, the 30-year-old had already started to ramp up earlier than usual over the winter and was ahead of other Red Sox pitchers coming into the spring before getting sick.

“He was supposed to pitch two or three innings over the weekend,” said Cora. “Now, he’ll be here the whole time. We’ll see how it goes in the upcoming days but he should be fine.”

A native of Victoria, Pivetta first pitched in the WBC back in 2017, right before he made his major-league debut for the Phillies. The righty is understandably disappointed that he will not get the opportunity to suit up for his country this time around.

“It’s a really difficult decision,” Pivetta said. “I got the opportunity to play for Team Canada from a very young age. And then I got to play for them in the WBC.  That was really important for me. Unfortunately, I haven’t been recovering the way I like to. 

“The team and I came to an (agreement) and an understanding that I have to focus here and what I need to do here for this team right now,” he added. “It’s unfortunate. I take great pride in playing for that team and playing for that country. Best of luck to those guys.”

After throwing a bullpen session on Monday and not recovering as quickly as he would have liked to, Pivetta and the Red Sox came to an agreement that it would be for the best if he did not pitch in the WBC. He then called Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt to inform him of his decision.

Pivetta has now had COVID three times, and he described this most-recent bout as being “way worse” than the previous two.

“I had the flu pretty bad. I had a lot of body aches,” said Pivetta. “And just the science behind having COVID, what’s gone on, inflammation rates, guys getting injured after getting COVID, I think all of those things are factors that I have to take into (account) for me and for the team, too.”

Pivetta is one of seven starters competing for five rotation spots in camp alongside Chris Sale, Corey Kluber, Brayan Bello, Garrett Whitlock, James Paxton, and Tanner Houck. He is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he led the club in both games started (33) and innings pitched (179 2/3) while posting a 4.56 ERA and 4.42 FIP with 175 strikeouts to 73 walks.

“It’s all good,” Pivetta said. “I’m focused on what I need to do for 2023 with the team, that’s where I can kind of push it and that’s where I kind of put my focus and just forget about everything else.”

Since Pivetta is off Canada’s roster, the Red Sox now have 12 players who are expected to participate in the WBC, including Rafael Devers (Dominican Republic), Masataka Yoshida (Japan), Enrique Hernandez (Puerto Rico), Richard Bleier (Israel), and Jarren Duran and Alex Verdugo (Mexico).

Closer Kenley Jansen is in Team Netherlands’ designated player pool, meaning he could join them if they advance to the semifinal in Miami next month. Infielder Yu Chang, who signed a one-year deal with Boston last week, is also on Team Chinese Taipei’s roster.

(Picture of Nick Pivetta: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Oddanier Mosqueda will get start for Red Sox in spring opener against Northeastern on Friday

Left-hander Oddanier Mosqueda will get the start for the Red Sox in their seven-inning exhibition opener against Northeastern at JetBlue Park on Friday, manager Alex Cora announced earlier Tuesday afternoon.

Mosqueda, 23, received an invite to big-league spring training after re-signing with the Red Sox in November. The southpaw is coming off a 2022 season in which he posted a 4.30 ERA and 4.05 FIP with 76 strikeouts to 20 walks over 45 relief appearances (58 2/3 innings) for Double-A Portland.

Among the 99 Eastern League pitchers who tossed 50 or more innings last year, Mosqueda ranked 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (11.66), 11th in strikeout rate (31.4 percent), 22nd in batting average against (.211), 22nd in WHIP (1.12), 22nd in groundball rate (46 percent), 28th in line-drive rate (17.3 percent), 28th in swinging-strike rate (13.8 percent), and eighth in xFIP (3.40), per FanGraphs.

A native of Venezuela, Mosqueda originally signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent in July 2015. The Caracas product is currently regarded by SoxProspects.com as the No. 48 prospect in Boston’s farm system, which ranks 18th among pitchers in the organization.

At 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds, Mosqueda throws from a low three-quarters arm slot and operates with a three-pitch mix that consists of a 90-92 mph fastball that tops out at 94 mph, a 78-80 mph curveball that features 1-to-7 break, and an 83-84 mph changeup that is on the firm side, according to his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

Earlier this month, Chad Jennings of The Athletic identified Mosqueda as a potential dark-horse to make an impact out of the bullpen in 2023, noting that the lefty “has been singled out by one Red Sox evaluator as a legitimate big league possibility this season.”

As currently constructed, the Red Sox are slated to carry just two left-handed relievers on their Opening Day roster next month in Richard Bleier and Joely Rodriguez. Last year, they carried three, all of whom are no longer with the team in Austin Davis, Jake Diekman, and Matt Strahm. They also traded Josh Taylor (who missed all of 2022 with back issues) to the Royals for infielder Adalberto Mondesi in January.

Given that he has yet to pitch above the Double-A level, it seems likely that the Red Sox would want Mosqueda — who turns 24 in May — to experience the ups-and-downs that Triple-A competition offers before they consider a big-league call-up.

If he is able to find success in Worcester to start the season, though, then perhaps Mosqueda will be on Boston’s radar sooner rather than later.

(Picture of Oddanier Mosqueda: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox add catcher Elih Marrero to spring training roster

The Red Sox have added catcher Elih Marrero to their spring training roster as a non-roster invitee, the club announced earlier Tuesday afternoon.

Marrero will be attending his first big-league camp. The 25-year-old was originally selected by Boston in the eighth round of the 2018 amateur draft out of St. Thomas University (Miami Gardens, Fla). He signed with the club for $157,700.

The son of former major-leaguer Eli Marrero, Elih spent the entirety of the 2022 minor-league season with Double-A Portland. The switch-hitter batted just .207/.319/.272 (72 wRC+) with 10 doubles, two home runs, 16 RBIs, 32 runs scored, 18 stolen bases, 39 walks, and 74 strikeouts in 79 games (289 plate appearances) for the Sea Dogs. His 18 swiped bags ranked tops among all catchers in the Eastern League.

From behind the plate, Marrero threw out 22 of 51 possible base stealers last year. Defense is Marrero’s calling card, as the 5-foot-9, 185-pound backstop is well-regarded for his blocking and receiving skills as well as a quick release, per his SoxProspects.com scouting report.

In Fort Myers, Marrero will join a catching mix that already includes Reese McGuire, Connor Wong, Jorge Alfaro, Ronaldo Hernandez, Caleb Hamilton, and Stephen Scott. Alfaro will temporarily be leaving the team to play for his native Colombia in the World Baseball Classic next month, so Marrero could help fill in there.

Marrero, who turns 26 in June, is projected to return to Portland for the start of the 2023 season, though he will almost certainly be gunning to make the jump to Triple-A Worcester before year’s end.

With the addition of Marrero, the Red Sox now have 63 players at major-league spring training. They will need to trim that number down to 26 by Opening Day.

(Picture of Elih Marrero: Kelly O’Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com)

Jorge Alfaro arrives at Red Sox camp after being delayed by visa issues

After initially being delayed by visa issues, catcher Jorge Alfaro reported to Red Sox camp in Fort Myers, Fla. on Sunday.

Alfaro, donning the No. 38 at the Fenway South complex, signed a minor-league contract with Boston last month. The deal came with an invite to major-league spring training as well as a $2 million salary if the 29-year-old backstop cracks the Sox’ big-league roster this season.

“He’s got to catch up now,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) on Sunday. “He’s a week behind and there’s a lot of work defensively that he needs. And [catching coach Jason Varitek] is on top of that.”

Prior to signing a minors pact with the Red Sox, Alfaro spent his offseason playing for the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Winter League. The right-handed hitter appeared in just six regular season games for Licey but turned it up a notch in the postseason en route to being named MVP of the league’s championship series.

“He had a good winter,” said Cora. “He did a lot of good things for Licey offensively. “But defensively, there’s a few things that we recognize that he needs to start doing. We’ll see where we’re at.”

With the Padres last season, Alfaro batted .246/.285/.383 with 14 doubles, seven home runs, 40 RBIs, 25 runs scored, one stolen base, 11 walks, and 98 strikeouts over 274 plate appearances. He also averaged a velocity of 89.4 mph on the balls he put in play while ranking in the 97th percentile of all major-leaguers in max exit velocity (115.2 mph), per Baseball Savant.

Defensively, Alfaro logged 530 2/3 innings behind the plate in 2022. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder threw out just five of 30 possible base stealers while allowing a league-leading seven passed balls. That being said, he also ranked in the 94th percentile when it came to average pop time to second base (1.89 seconds) and has well-regarded for his arm strength in the past.

Over the next several weeks, Alfaro will be competing for a spot on Boston’s Opening Day roster. As currently constructed, Reese McGuire and Connor Wong are the only two catchers on the club’s 40-man roster. Since McGuire hits from the left side of the plate, he seems like a lock to make the team. Wong and Alfaro, meanwhile, are both right-handed hitters, so there could be more of a competition between the two. It also helps that unlike Alfaro and McGuire, Wong still has one minor-league option remaining.

Of course, Alfaro is still at somewhat of a disadvantage since he will soon be temporarily leaving camp to play for his native Colombia in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Once he returns from the tournament, he will have a limited amount of time to work with Varitek and other Red Sox coaches before Opening Day arrives next month.

“He’s going to the tournament, too,” Cora said of Alfaro this past Friday. “It’s kind of like a small window for him to work with Jason, which is very important. But he should be OK.”

If Alfaro fails to break camp with the Red Sox and presumably accepts his assignment to Triple-A Worcester, he will have the ability to opt out of his contract and return to free agency if he is not called up by June 1 or July 1 at the latest.

(Picture of Jose Alfaro: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Brayan Bello provides update on sore forearm: ‘I feel much better right now’

On Friday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced that Brayan Bello had been shut down from throwing through the weekend due to what he described as forearm soreness.

On Saturday, Bello provided an update on how he was feeling when speaking with reporters (including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith) at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers.

Bello first began experiencing tightness in his forearm after throwing a bullpen session at the Fenway South complex at the beginning of the week. The right-hander did not describe it as being painful.

“I didn’t feel any pain,” Bello said (through translator Carlos Villoria Benitez). “I just felt tight and I really didn’t want to force it.”

After showing signs of promise in his big-league debut last season, Bello came into camp this spring competing for a spot in Boston’s Opening Day starting rotation. Like Cora, the 23-year-old expressed confidence that he will be able to resume his throwing program in the coming days.

“I feel very anxious. I just want the moment to come,” said Bello. “I feel better right now that I can throw. So let’s wait until Monday.”

Though Bello did say he is feeling better, he also noted that the tightness he felt in his forearm was unlike anything he had experienced before. With that being said, though, the young hurler is not worried about it and is instead looking forward to getting back on the mound.

“I feel much better right now,” he said. “We’re working really hard to get ready.”

Since the Red Sox figure to roll with a five-man starting rotation out of spring training next month, Bello is competing with six other potential starters (Chris Sale, Corey Kluber, Nick Pivetta, James Paxton, Garrett Whitlock, and Tanner Houck) for five spots in total.

With that in mind, it would likely be beneficial for Bello if he is able to resume throwing on Monday and does not risk falling further behind the competition. The discomfort he felt may have something to do with the amount of breaking balls he threw in that bullpen session.

“It was right after I was throwing a lot of breaking pitches,” Bello said. “It was the next day when I felt a little bit tight. So it probably was that.”

(Picture of Brayan Bello: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Red Sox bring back outfielder Marcus Wilson on minor-league deal

The Red Sox have signed free agent outfielder Marcus Wilson to a minor-league contract, per the club’s transactions log on MLB.com.

This will mark Wilson’s second stint with the Red Sox organization. The former second-round draft pick was originally acquired from the Diamondbacks in the April 2019 trade that sent catcher Blake Swihart to Arizona.

After splitting the remainder of the 2019 minor-league season between (then) High-A Salem and Double-A Portland, Wilson was added to Boston’s 40-man roster that November in order to receive protection from the Rule 5 Draft. Despite being on the Sox’ 40-man roster for the entirety of the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, the California native was a limited participant at the club’s alternate training site in Pawtucket.

Wilson broke camp with Triple-A Worcester the following spring. The right-handed hitter batted .242/.370/.452 with 10 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, 30 RBIs, 34 runs scored, 10 stolen bases, 41 walks, and 88 strikeouts over 64 games (265 plate appearances) for the WooSox before somewhat surprisingly being designated for assignment at the end of July.

The Mariners quickly claimed Wilson off waivers in early August, and he spent the rest of the 2021 season with the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, Wash. That October, however, Wilson was again designated for assignment. He cleared waivers this time around and was outrighted off Seattle’s 40-man roster.

As such, Wilson returned to Tacoma for the start of the 2022 season. He slashed .209/.336/.469 with 11 doubles, two triples, 12 homers, 34 runs driven in, 33 runs scored, eight stolen bases, 35 walks, and 82 strikeouts in 59 games (238 plate appearances) for the Rainiers before getting called up by the Mariners for the first time last June.

In what was his major-league debut, Wilson went 1-for-5 with one run scored, one walk, and four strikeouts across three games for Seattle. He was then optioned back to Tacoma on July 7, but was designated for assignment at the end of the month. The 26-year-old once again cleared waivers and closed out the 2022 campaign in Tacoma before electing for minor-league free agency in October.

Wilson, who turns 27 in August, should provide the Red Sox with some upper-minors outfield depth this season. It has yet to be determined if he will start the year in Portland or Worcester, though he could be behind other experienced outfielders like Raimel Tapia, Greg Allen, and Narciso Crook on the club’s organizational depth chart.

For his career at the Triple-A level, Wilson is a lifetime .230/.355/.441 hitter with 30 home runs, 99 RBIs, and 29 stolen bases over 194 games (792 plate appearances). In 74 career games at Double-A, he is a lifetime .225/.324/.425 hitter with 10 home runs, 29 RBIs, and nine stolen bases across 278 trips to the plate. The 6-foot-2, 198-pounder also has past experience at all three outfield positions, so he can be considered versatile in that regard.

(Picture of Marcus Wilson: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Jorge Alfaro not yet at camp due to visa issues

Jorge Alfaro has yet to report to Red Sox camp in Fort Myers. The veteran catcher is currently dealing with visa issues, manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MLB.com’s Ian Browne) on Friday.

Alfaro was signed to a minor-league contract last month. The deal came with an invite to spring training as well as a $2 million salary if the 29-year-old backstop cracks Boston’s big-league roster this season.

“He’s not here yet,” Cora said at JetBlue Park. “But we found a few things defensively that we can help him to get better. He has a cannon and obviously, he’s a good athlete. He hits the ball hard.”

Last season with the Padres, Alfaro batted .246/.285/.383 with 14 doubles, seven home runs, 40 RBIs, 25 runs scored, one stolen base, 11 walks, and 98 strikeouts over 274 plate appearances. The right-handed hitter also averaged 89.4 mph on the balls he put in play while ranking in the 97th percentile of all major-leaguers in max exit velocity (115.2 mph), per Baseball Savant.

Alfaro spent his winter in the Dominican Republic playing for the Tigres del Licey. He appeared in just six regular season LIDOM games for Licey but turned it up a notch afterwards by posting a 1.105 OPS in the round-robin portion of the playoffs and hitting .421 (8-for-19) with two home runs in the championship series that he was named MVP of.

“He had a great winter down there in the Dominican Republic,” said Cora. “Just hoping that he gets here.”

Alfaro is now slated to play for his native Colombia in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. As such, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound backstop will have a limited amount of time to work with Jason Varitek and other members of the Red Sox coaching staff before Opening Day arrives next month.

“He’s going to the tournament, too,” Cora said in reference to the WBC. “It’s kind of like a small window for him to work with Jason, which is very important. But he should be OK.”

Once he does arrive at the Fenway South complex, Alfaro figures to compete with Connor Wong — who also hits from the right side of the plate — for a spot on Boston’s Opening Day roster as the No. 2 catcher behind the left-handed hitting Reese McGuire. For what it’s worth, Alfaro and McGuire are both out of minor-league options while Wong has one remaining.

If Alfaro fails to break camp with the Red Sox and accepts his assignment to Triple-A Worcester, he will have the ability to opt out of his deal and return to free agency if he is not called up by June 1 or July 1 at the latest.

(Picture of Jorge Alfaro: Denis Poroy/Getty Images)

Red Sox’ Nick Pivetta on the mend following recent bout with COVID-19

Red Sox right-hander Nick Pivetta is on the mend following a recent bout with COVID-19, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.

As was first reported by Jamie Gatlin of Beyond the Monster from the back fields of Fenway South on Friday morning, Pivetta “left workouts earlier today with a trainer. He threw a pitch and then crouched down before a trainer came over.”

After that, Pivetta “did not join the other 12 pitchers in his assigned group for pitchers’ fielding practice,” per Cotillo. He was, however, present for Corey Kluber’s bullpen session.

When speaking with reporters (including Cotillo) on Friday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that Pivetta had COVID-19 “not too long ago” and that he is “just building back.”

Pivetta, who has been seen wearing a mask around the team’s complex in Fort Myers recently, is still expected to be ready for Opening Day next month. The 30-year-old hurler is also slated to pitch for Team Canada in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

While Pivetta’s status for Opening Day is not yet in question, his bout with COVID-19 could put him behind other pitchers at camp who are also competing for a spot in Boston’s starting rotation. In addition to Pivetta, fellow righty Brayan Bello has been shut down from throwing for the next few days due to forearm soreness.

Pivetta is coming off a 2022 season in which he led the Red Sox in both games started (33) and innings pitched (179 2/3). He went 10-12 with a 4.56 ERA and 4.42 FIP while recording 175 strikeouts to 73 walks.

(Picture of Nick Pivetta: Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images)