Not only will the Boston Red Sox spend the next month-plus trying to punch their ticket to the postseason, but they also are trying to assess who, exactly, they can lean on if they make it to October.
That could result in some mixing and matching down the stretch, which apparently might open a door for Richard Fitts.
Fitts has made mostly spot starts this season, and reportedly is getting promoted Friday for Boston’s series against the New York Yankees. With the rotation already set for the weekend, it is all but certain Fitts will slot into the bullpen.
Fitts’ has a good pitch mix, and his stuff is such that he might be the type of arm better suited to go out and let it rip for a few innings as opposed to managing a start.
The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey reported Wednesday that Fitts has turned heads as a potential bullpen option.
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“Available pitchers on the 40-man roster include Richard Fitts, who was scheduled to start for the WooSox on Thursday but who has intrigued team officials as a bullpen option,” Healey wrote.
Fitts’ 14 big league appearances between this season and last have all been starts. He pitched somewhat often in relief in college at Auburn, but save for one relief appearance for Triple-A Worcester in 2024, he’s only been a starter in the minors.
How Fitts fares against New York in, presumably, bulk relief will be interesting. Reliable, multi-inning relievers are pivotal in the postseason when teams have to get creative with pitching staffs. Fitts slotting nicely into that type of role down the stretch could be a huge boost for a bullpen with jobs very much up for grabs.
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