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Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Pivetta will work as a bulk reliever in Sunday's game against the Yankees behind opening pitcher Josh Winckowski, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Pivetta operated as a traditional starter in both of his last two appearances, but he'll return to a familiar bulk-relief role Sunday while the Red Sox deploy him behind Winckowski, who is unlikely to work more than 1-to-3 innings before being pulled from the contest. The arrangement should improve Pivetta's odds of factoring into any decision, though it may take some strikeout upside off the table while he presumably covers fewer innings than he might as a traditional starter. The Red Sox are expected to get Tanner Houck (face) back from the 15-day injured list either Monday or Tuesday and plan on having him fill a spot in the rotation, so Pivetta could end up sticking in a bullpen role permanently moving forward.

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