3 high-priced Red Sox trade candidates the Mets should consider adding

3) Nick Pivetta

The Mets starting rotation is an absolute mess right now. They signed Luis Severino and traded for Adrian Houser to join Jose Quintana and Kodai Senga. They could round out the rotation in house with a player like Tylor Megill, Jose Butto, or Joey Lucchesi, but it's hard to see them not making at least one more addition.

We know the Mets were all-in on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he's a Dodger. They also seemed to be very interested in Lucas Giolito before Boston snagged him. There are other free agent starters they can grab, but with how expensive mediocre starting pitching is, don't be surprised if the Mets look to round out their rotation in the trade market.

Nick Pivetta is far from an inspiring addition, but he's projected to make $7.5 million in his final year of arbitration according to Spotrac. Considering the fact that the Mets gave Luis Severino, a pitcher who had a 6.65 ERA this past season and comes with massive durability concerns almost double that, $7.5 million for one year of Pivetta is good value.

Pivetta is known more by Mets fans for his days with the Phillies, but he's been better in his Red Sox tenure than he was in Philadelphia. He's far from an ace, but he's similar to Giolito as a guy they can realistically rely on to give them starts and innings. He combined to make 63 starts for the Red Sox in 2021 and 2022, throwing 155 or more innings both years. That has value.

This past season Pivetta flip-flopped between the rotation and bullpen. He had his ups and downs, but finished strong as a starter, posting a 2.37 ERA in his last five starts. He ended his season with seven scoreless innings in Baltimore allowing just two hits and striking out ten.

He hasn't put it together consistently at all, but there is some upside to Pivetta, who also is a durable innings eater. He's not the best pitcher they can get, but they can do worse for a fifth starter.