WORCESTER — When the Red Sox headed to Texas to face the Rangers for two exhibition games at Globe Life Field on their way from Fort Myers to Seattle last week, they provided a quick glimpse at what they hope their rotation will look like for years to come. Garrett Whitlock, who was finishing off his spring buildup after winning a rotation spot, started the first game against the Rangers. In something of a surprise for the second game, the Red Sox gave the start to Richard Fitts, the talented right-handed prospect who was acquired from the Yankees in the Alex Verdugo trade over the winter.
Why would the Red Sox give Fitts, who wasn’t even in major league spring training, the chance to join the major league team and pitch against the defending World Series champions? The answer has a little to do with logistics and a lot to do with how much Fitts impressed Red Sox brass in his first spring with the club. According to farm director Brian Abraham, the spot start represented a not-so-subtle reward for how Fitts had carried himself in camp — while lining up with his pitching schedule.
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“I think it was a good chance for the organization to let someone who has led by example — despite being new — show what can be done and how players can continue to improve even at the upper levels if they push themselves and they’re willing to be open minded about doing new things,” Abraham said.
“As a new guy in the organization, he has really exemplified what we’re trying to do with our pitchers pushing themselves on the mound, in the weight room, and with someone like him who has been in (velocity) training, he has really been willing to let his guard down and do some things that maybe he hadn’t done in the past and challenge himself and get some more out of himself physically than maybe he even knew he had.”
Fitts, who (weather-permitting) will make his regular season debut at Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, was caught off guard when the Red Sox told him to pack a bag for Arlington. The Auburn product — who MassLive ranked as the No. 11 prospect in the Red Sox system over the winter — has never pitched above Double-A and had never stepped foot on the mound of a big league stadium before his outing on March 26.
“I was a little surprised, but I was really excited about the opportunity,” Fitts said. “Wasn’t sure how it was gonna work out, then they told me that I was gonna get to go. For one, I was just pumped to get to go on the trip. And then they told me I was starting, and that just made it even better.”
Once Fitts was on the mound, he showed why the Red Sox were excited to get him as one of three pitchers obtained for Verdugo in a December deal. Over 3 ⅓ shutout innings against a lineup of major league regulars, Fitts allowed just two hits while recording three strikeouts. Twice early, he struck out Rookie of the Year candidate Evan Carter. In the fourth inning, Fitts punctuated his outing with a six-pitch punchout of ALCS MVP Adolis García.
“It was really cool just to gain some confidence that I can compete with the best of them,” he said.
Abraham and others in the front office came away impressed.
“I think you find out a lot about young players when all of the sudden they’re provided an environment with a lot of fans, a very tough lineup or pitching staff and then a stadium that has multiple upper decks,” Abraham said. “That’s something that I know is always a bit unique. You go to Worcester, you go to Lehigh Valley, Scranton Wilkes-Barre, they’re big stadiums, but they’re Triple-A. You go to major league stadiums, there’s a lot more people, they’re bigger, the atmosphere is unique. Being able to put a guy in an environment like that and allow them to not only face the players but just get the feel of what it is like on the mound, I think it’s a huge positive.”
Though Fitts’ performance was the highlight of his time in Arlington, he also enjoyed the chance to experience big league perks like the charter flight and five-star hotel. After not being in major league camp, the Texas trip served as a chance for Fitts, who trains with Whitlock and WooSox rotation-mate Cooper Criswell in Alabama during the winter, to get to know other members of the big league roster.
“I felt very welcomed when I was in the locker room and then even after my outing,” Fitts said. “Hopefully I can earn some of their respect and be teammates with them later this year … It’s definitely something to look forward to, something that I’m hoping that I can do later this season, just be with the team completely.”
Fitts thinks he’s on the doorstep of the majors — he said his goal is to reach the big leagues “tomorrow,” if not by the end of 2024 — and he’s the highest-upside pitching prospect the Red Sox have at Triple-A. The 24-year-old spent the entirety of last season at Double-A, making 27 starts there, and has never pitched at the minors’ highest levels before. He could push for a promotion late in the season if he pitches well in Worcester.
Before then, though, there are still development benchmarks to reach. Abraham identified increasing fastball velocity and challenging hitters in the zone as two specific goals for Fitts early in the year. Fitts himself said his main focus is on developing his changeup into an off-speed weapon. Organizationally, the Red Sox feel like the 6-foot-3, 230-lb. right-hander is a good fit for Boston’s newly tuned pitching philosophy under director of pitching Justin Willard and major league pitching coach Andrew Bailey.
“One of our mantras now with Bails and Justin Willard is to ‘throw nasty stuff in the zone,’” Abraham said. “For him to be able to do that on a consistent basis, he can improve his strikeout rate, decrease his walk rate and stay away from barrels. I think if he’s able to do those things with an increase and tick-up in stuff, we’re looking at a guy who can make a huge impact in the future.”
The Red Sox are confident Fitts’ strong performance in Arlington won’t be his last excellent showing on a major league mound.
“In the short amount of time that he’s been with us, he certainly has exemplified the ability to be able to do those things (that make pitchers successful),” Fitts said. “It was only one outing for a few innings but I think he showed why he was given the opportunity and he succeeded.”
