Richard

Fitts

The Red Sox brought Richard Fitts up Sunday primarily to give Houck a little extra time between starts. If he pitches Friday, he’d be on eight days’ rest against the Yankees. If he can’t go, it sounds like Fitts will get the ball.

The rookie didn’t allow a single extra-base hit, but he also induced just five whiffs on 35 swings for a 14 percent whiff rate and 21 percent CSW. It wasn’t a confidence-inspiring start against a bad offense, but Fitts didn’t allow much hard contact and showed poise in his MLB debut. As of now, there’s no indication if he will remain in the rotation for another start.

Fitts needed to be added to the 40-man this winter anyway, so the Red Sox might as well take a look at him now. He had a 2.38 ERA and a 37/4 K/BB over 34 innings in his last six Triple-A starts, and he’ll face similar competition against the White Sox today.

He’ll likely start or serve as a bulk guy Sunday, which suggests Brayan Bello is getting pushed back. Fitts, a product of the Alex Verdugo trade with the Yankees, is 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA and a 111/37 K/BB in 116 2/3 innings for Triple-A Worcester.

The 24-year-old starting pitching prospect was acquired by the Red Sox as part of a package for Alex Verdugo this offseason. The effort lowered his ERA to 3.86 through 13 games, including 12 starts, on the season. With Lucas Giolito and Garrett Whitlock both out for the season, the Red Sox have been using Cooper Criswell as their fifth starter. While Criswell has handled himself well, there is a chance that Fitts could get a chance to make some starts for the Red Sox at the end of the summer.

It was the spring debut for Fitts, who sat 94 mph with his fastball and got seven missed swings on 54 pitches. The 24-year-old was the most intriguing of the three players the Red Sox acquired from the Yankees for Alex Verdugo in December, but he didn’t get an official invitation to spring training this year. He might emerge as a rotation candidate in the second half of the season.

Fitts posted an encouraging 3.48 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 163/43 K/BB ratio across 152 2/3 innings (27 starts) this past season for Double-A Somerset. The 23-year-old righty isn’t considered one of New York’s top pitching prospects, but he’s an interesting addition for new Red Sox president of baseball operations Craig Breslow.

In exchange, Passan notes that the Red Sox will receive right-handers Greg Weissert, Richard Fitts and Nicholas Judice. Verdugo is entering his final season before free agency and hit a disappointing .264/.324/.421 with 13 long balls, 54 RBI and five stolen bases over 602 plate appearances with the Red Sox during the 2023 season. The Yankees get a left-handed outfield bat that they’ve been seeking for, but this won’t take them away from their pursuit of Juan Soto.