Red Sox’s Nick Pivetta bows out of World Baseball Classic, won’t pitch for Canada

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta won’t pitch for Canada in next month’s World Baseball Classic due to a slow recovery from a bout with COVID.

Pivetta was on Canada’s final roster for the tournament but made the decision to pull out after consulting with Red Sox officials in recent days. The right-hander had COVID earlier this month, causing his throwing program to be interrupted. He has had trouble recovering after throwing in recent days.

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

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Pivetta is still expected to be ready for the start of the season in late March. Because he was supposed to pitch in the WBC, he ramped up earlier than normal over the winter and was ahead of the club’s other pitchers before getting sick.

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

Pivetta, a Victoria native, pitched for Canada in the last installment of the WBC in 2017, the year he made his major league debut. He lamented the fact he won’t be able to suit up for his country again.

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“It’s 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.

“It’s unfortunate,” he added. “I take great pride in playing for that team and playing for that country.”

Pivetta said he came to the decision after throwing a bullpen session Monday and not recovering as quickly as he usually does. He called Canada’s manager, Ernie Whitt, to inform him of the decision.

Pivetta said his recent bout with COVID was his third time contracting the virus and that it was “way worse” than the other times he had it.

“Had a lot of body aches,” he said. “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 along with Chris Sale, Corey Kluber, Garrett Whitlock, James Paxton, Brayan Bello and Tanner Houck. Pivetta is expected to be part of Boston’s starting five after leading the team with 33 starts and 179 ⅔ innings in 2022. He’s looking forward to building on that performance this season.

“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.”

With Pivetta off Canada’s roster, the Red Sox now have 11 players expected to participate in the WBC, including Rafael Devers (Dominican Republic), Masataka Yoshida (Japan), Kiké Hernández (Puerto Rico), Alex Verdugo (Mexico) and Jarren Duran (Mexico). Closer Kenley Jansen is in the designated player pool for Team Netherlands and could join them in Miami if they advance to the semifinal in late March.