MLB playoffs: Red Sox turn to failed Phillies prospect in ALCS Game 4 vs. Astros

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Nick Pivetta will be on the mound Tuesday for Game 4 of the ALCS vs. the Houston Astros.

The Philadelphia Phillies haven’t been to the MLB playoffs in a decade. But a failed farmhand will be on the mound Tuesday in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.

Want to bet on MLB Playoffs?

Read our comprehensive how to bet on baseball guide

Nick Pivetta will get the ball as the Boston Red Sox look to extend their 2-1 series lead over the Houston Astros.

The Phillies traded Pivetta to the Red Sox last year, along with right-hander Connor Seabold, in exchange for relievers Heath Hembree and Brandon Workman (neither of whom stuck with Philadelphia in 2021).

Before packing his backs, Pivetta had pitched in 92 games over four seasons with the Phillies, going 19-30 with a 5.50 ERA.

Since the trade, Pivetta has shown flashes of greatness, going 11-8 with a 4.36 ERA in 33 games (32 starts) for the Red Sox. He’s also proven his durability as part of manager Alex Cora’s mix-and-match pitching arsenal.

Pivetta came out of the bullpen on the final day of the regular season to save Boston’s 7-5 win over the Washington Nationals, which clinched a wild-card spot for the Red Sox. It was his first career save.

Pivetta later carved a place for himself in Boston lore by taking the ball in extra innings and pitching four scoreless frames, striking out seven Tampa Bay Rays batters and picking up the win in Game 3 of the American League Division Series.

Pivetta will be on the mound Tuesday for the first time since that gutty performance, and he’ll look to give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead over the Astros in the best-of-seven ALCS.

Want more Yankees coverage? Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text directly with beat writers

Here’s what you need to know about the game:

BOTTOM LINE:

Boston will face Houston in Game 4 of the ALCS.

The Red Sox were 49-32 on their home turf in 2021. Boston has hit 20 home runs this postseason, Kike Hernandez has accounted for five of them en route to posting a slugging percentage of 1.028.

The Astros went 44-37 in road games in 2021. Houston has hit nine home runs this postseason, Kyle Tucker has accounted for three of them en route to posting a slugging percentage of .704.

The Red Sox won the last meeting 12-3. Eduardo Rodriguez earned his first victory this postseason and Kyle Schwarber went 1-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs for Boston. Jose Urquidy took his first loss of the postseason for Houston.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Rafael Devers leads the Red Sox with 166 hits and has 115 RBIs.

Kyle Tucker leads the Astros with 70 extra base hits and is slugging .558.

LAST 10 GAMES:

Red Sox: 5-5, .255 batting average, 4.40 ERA, outscored opponents by three runs

Astros: 4-6, .222 batting average, 5.09 ERA, outscored by 15 runs

INJURIES:

Red Sox: Phillips Valdez: (COVID-19).

Astros: Justin Verlander: (elbow), Andre Scrubb: (shoulder), Rafael Montero: (shoulder), Tyler Ivey: (undisclosed), Luis Garcia: (knee), Kent Emanuel: (elbow), Pedro Baez: (shoulder), Freudis Nova: (knee), Taylor Jones: (covid-19).

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at mrosenstein@njadvancemedia.com.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

X

Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information

If you opt out, we won’t sell or share your personal information to inform the ads you see. You may still see interest-based ads if your information is sold or shared by other companies or was sold or shared previously.