Red Sox Roster Moves: Boston Shuffles Pitching Staff During Angels Series

The Red Sox made four roster moves Tuesday before Boston takes the field against the Los Angeles Angels at Fenway Park, the club announced.

The club recalled Cooper Criswell and Zack Kelly from Triple-A Worcester. The Sox optioned pitcher Richard Fitts to Triple-A to make room on the big league roster, and freed up a 40-man spot by putting Nick Burdi on the 15-day injured list after suffering a foot contusion during a play in which he covered first base Monday.

“Yeah, Burdi’s on the IL,” manager Alex Cora told reporters in his pregame press conference. “Foot contusion in the play off of first base. He had some X-rays yesterday. He’s pretty sore today. No fracture, but he wasn’t going to be available for a while, so he’s on the IL.”

Fitts gave up six runs, five earned, on three homers in just one inning in Monday night’s 7-6 loss against the Angels. It was Fitts’ second start back from the IL. He went three innings and 44 pitches last week in his first start back in Milwaukee against the Brewers. The plan was for him to go 75-80 pitches in his next start, but the Red Sox removed him at 39 pitches after he was hit hard.

“… With Fitz, what happened yesterday, we were in the middle of extending him, right? And doing that at this level, after yesterday, it was going to be hard. Hunter (Dobbins) will be in the rotation, and we got Coop and Zack.”

Criswell posted a 1.52 ERA in seven outings in Worcester. He has held opponents to a .179 batting average in 29 2/3 innings across six starts. Kelly has made eight appearances for Boston this season, recording an 8.25 ERA with 11 strikeouts in 12 innings.