The Boston Red Sox are reportedly taking a flier on a four-year major league veteran who spent the 2025 season in the minor leagues.
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According to Ari Alexander of 7News in Boston, the Red Sox are signing right-handed pitcher Vinny Nittoli to a minor league contract that includes an invitation to the team’s major league spring training camp.
Nittoli, 35, is 0-1 with a 2.41 ERA in 15 major league games from 2021-24 with the New York Mets, Oakland A’s, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Phillies, and Seattle Mariners.
Last year, Nittoli went 0-1 with a 4.58 ERA across 37 Triple-A appearances for the Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers‘ top farm teams.
Never a high-strikeout pitcher at the major league level (13 K’s in 18.2 innings pitched), Nittoli was averaging 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings last season at Triple-A when he opted out of his contract with the Orioles in August 2025, making him a free agent.
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Nittoli was originally a 25th-round pick by the Mariners in 2014. He would switch teams twice — signing with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays — before rejoining the Mariners in November 2020. He debuted with Seattle in June 2021, pitching just one game before returning to the minor leagues.
Nittoli has also pitched at the minor league levels for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and Minnesota Twins organizations over a nine-year professional career.
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In 2023, Nittoli made three appearances for Team Italy at the World Baseball Classic. His last MLB experience came in 2024, when he allowed two runs in 12 innings for the Orioles (two games) and A’s (seven games).
The Red Sox have used this offseason to bolster their right-handed bullpen depth. They previously acquired right-hander Ryan Watson from the A’s in a December trade, and have signed right-handers Devin Sweet, Osvaldo Berrios, Seth Martinez and Tayron Guerrero to minor league contracts with spring training invitations.
Nittoli gives them an experienced veteran to compete for a bullpen job in Fort Myers, Florida.
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