I have been lying in wait for someone to bring up this loathesome fantasy pitcher because again, he is now some sleeper to attempt to draft late. This guy... who gives up home runs in his sleep.

1. The doe eyed fantasy baseball community awoke to many a writer selling them a box of goods. This Canadian box was named Nicholas Johncarlo Pivetta. He was set to be a starter on what would end up becoming an underwhelming and outright disappointing Phillies team who spent hundreds of millions to miss the playoffs. Pivetta was viewed as a valuable starting pitcher to aim at. Late round pick with a starting position on what we thought would be a solid Phillies lineup that, even if he imploded some, would still hold value in obtaining wins and eating innings.

My, how the community was more foolish than scalpers buying up all the Popeye's chicken sandwiches to try to double their price and sell them on the street. We, much like them, were ignoring reality.

That reality? That Nick Pivetta is at best a worse Micah Owings and at his Super Saiyan level he would be a still worse Jason Hammel.

In 2019, his first four games were against Atlanta, Minnesota, Washington and the Mets. Collectively he gave up 18 earned runs, 31 hits, 5 homeruns and faced 93 batters. In fact, in all his collective starts for 2019, all 12, he only gave up 1 or fewer earned runs twice. Once against the Dodgers, where he struck out 9 and blanked their offense and the other against the Reds where he gave up 1 run with 6 K's. The notable difference between these games and 9 of the other 10 starts? No home runs.

Call Nick Pivetta a McDonald's soft serve machine because all he does is break down. He makes Tanaka jealous of his homerun givability. 2019 was catapulted to a guaranteed rough year when he gave up 13 home runs in his first 10 starts, giving up 2 homeruns or more in 6 of those starts.

In fact, he gave up 15 homeruns in his 12 total starts. In those 12 starts he handed over an astounding 72 hits and 44 earned runs with 125 fly balls (vs 93 ground balls) while racking up only 54 strikeouts in 64.1 innings. For 2019 his curveball was hittable, his sinker got sunk and his slider was still below average. None of his pitches make a batter wary or worrisome instead making them pick and choose which part of the upper deck to aim at when he throws a pitch that not even the Astros would need to bang on a trash can to be able to crush.

What I am trying to say here is that Pivetta is not just bad, but actually got significantly worse in 2019. Even if he starts out in the rotation of the Phils he wont be there long. This team is playoffs or bust and the moment that Pivetta starts handing out his version of a Netflix greenlight the Phils are going to pull him, trade for someone that is at least capable of not getting dunked on by the 2nd inning and move him to the bullpin where he can then give up home runs in the 7th inning instead.

Stop buying Nick Pivetta. He is not some cheap commodity that might get good, he is not someone who will secretly win you a week or two, he is a guy who will screw your ERA for 5 weeks give you a single gem then go back to being trash. He makes Homer Bailey look like Rollie Fingers. Since you started reading this Nick Pivetta has given up 3 home runs.

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TL;DR Pivetta is awful and dont listen to anyone telling you to buy him at all. He is a fundamental nightmare. Literally take anyone else. Hell, draft Tebow instead.

Edit: Nick Pivetta is basically JJ Hoover with stamina

Edit 2: I never drafted Pivetta in 2018 or 2019. I am not butthurt. I saw a post saying he again, is sort of a sleeper and I think it needs nipped immediately because he is bad.

Edit 3: thanks to /u/Mister_Yi for the fix. I mixed up changeup with curveball when looking at the percentages, this also means his Curve was his best pitch NOT his slider. Pitch wise he used 4-seam, Curve, Slider, Changeup in that order primarily.