“I mean, hats off to the training staff and [head athletic trainer] Brandon Henry,” Pivetta said. “He’s been with me since [my injury]. It takes a team to get everybody back. I’m happy that I feel good and I look forward to my next start.”

The rotation has been the bright spot for the Red Sox despite the injuries. Entering Saturday, Sox starters led the league with a 2.39 ERA while also ranking third in WHIP (1.06) and opponent batting average (.217).

“I had no doubt from the pitching side that guys in spring training, that the guys that were here and the guys started in Triple A were going to do a good job,” manager Alex Cora said before the middle game vs. the Nationals. “I truly believed that in spring training. “I felt like [Cooper] Criswell, if we wanted to go another route with [Garrett Whitlock] in the bullpen and keeping [Criswell] in the rotation, we were going to be fine. Because of the way he pitches. So, I feel pretty confident that we were going to pitch. The thing is that when you have so many guys injured, then the five innings and the four innings, it becomes hard, and that’s what we ran into last year, especially with the bullpen.”

Whitlock (oblique) won’t be in the bullpen and will return to the rotation when the club reinstates him from the IL, meaning the Sox will have a decision to make as it pertains to Criswell. On Wednesday, Whitlock is scheduled to start for Worcester. It’s still to be determined whether or not Whitlock will need more than one start before returning from the rehab assignment.

Rafaela on upswing

Ceddanne Rafaela was batting .350/.357/.600 across 11 games, with a .957 OPS, heading into Saturday. While that could be a positive sign for Rafaela and the Sox, Cora refrained from suggesting that his rookie, who has a tendency to chase pitches outside the strike zone, had completely figured out the big leagues.

“He’s been getting hits,” Cora said. “I don’t know where we are at as far as like chasing pitches and all that, but he’s not expanding much. I do believe he becomes more selective when men are on. He’s still learning, and you start looking at the numbers he’s starting to get his hits. I think he put up great at-bats against Chris [Sale] in Atlanta. Friday [against the Nationals] the walk was huge. Little by little, he’s getting there. But I do believe there’s more.”

Rafaela has had to learn at the big-league level while also commanding shortstop in the absence of Trevor Story. Neither is an easy task, particularly as a player in his first full season in the majors. Though he’s had his struggles at the plate, the pressure, including playing in a tough market, hasn’t flustered Rafaela.

“I think it’s part of the game,” he said. “You [have to] have more bad days than good days. Then you go 3 for 10 and you’re one of the best in the game. It’s always going to be more failure than success. I think you just need to just keep focus, and try to help the team every day. I think that’s the biggest one for me.”

Julian McWilliams can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @byJulianMack.