Phillies pitcher Nick Pivetta learned this offseason how to have fun

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Nick Pivetta knows he’s entrenched this spring in a competition for the final spot in the Phillies’ starting rotation, but the righthander said Thursday after his second Grapefruit League start that he’s not focused on that race.

Pay attention to that, the pitcher said, and you will drive yourself insane.

“My mindset is enjoying baseball, having fun, competing, working on what I need to get better, and what I need to do so I can put myself in the best position,” Pivetta said after pitching 2⅔ innings in a 12-5 win over the Boston Red Sox.

How much fun is Pivetta having this spring?

“A ton,” he said.

And that was tough to imagine last summer as he was optioned twice to triple A, shuffled between the bullpen and the starting rotation, and finished the season with a 5.38 ERA. Pivetta returned from last season’s forgetful campaign to compete this spring with Zach Eflin and Vince Velasquez for one of the final two rotation spots, hoping that a changeup can set him apart.

“I think he’s embraced the challenge,” manager Joe Girardi said. “I think he came in really prepared. I think he worked hard all winter and he wants that spot just like everybody else. But he wants it.”

Pivetta looked crisp on Thursday as he struck out five, walked two, and allowed one hit. Pivetta’s lone run against the Red Sox was allowed by reliever Seth McGarry, who inherited two of Pivetta’s runners in the third inning. Pivetta threw 47 pitches, 27 of which were strikes. Like the other starters, he is working this spring on pitching down in the zone after Gabe Kapler and Chris Young — both of whom were fired after the season — placed an emphasis last season on elevated fastballs.

It was another good step for Pivetta. But it could be his mindset — noticeably jovial this spring — that could help him unlock the talent that he has flashed since reaching the majors. His agent sent him this offseason to work out in Los Angeles with major-league starters. It was a chance, Pivetta said, to refresh after a tough season.

“I just took a break, you know,” Pivetta said. “It was really nice just to get a break, get away from it. Obviously we all weren’t happy with the way that things ended last year. We’re professional athletes and we really care about what we do. We want to win. So just getting that break, relaxing, thinking about it, analyzing it, taking that body of work of what happened last year, deal with your failures and moving that forward to this year to work on those failures, I think that’s the biggest thing.”

Girardi had no interest in driving 140 miles back to Clearwater on Thursday evening, so he handed the keys to his SUV to veteran infielder Neil Walker, who stuffed in a group of players after they were subbed out in the fourth inning.

“I’m so happy to get on this bus right now,” Girardi said. “I told them ‘Just leave the keys on my desk. Don’t take them home with you.’ I can sit on the bus and if I fall asleep, it won’t matter.”

The gas tank, Girardi said, was full, but that likely won’t be the case after Walker and the players drive home over the Sunshine Skyway.

“It’s all right,” Girardi said. “That’s worth it to me.”

Aaron Nola will start Friday at home against Atlanta in his second Grapefruit League start. Zack Wheeler will make his spring debut on Saturday against Toronto in neighboring Dunedin.