Red Sox Hurler Demoted To Minors Hours After First Career Win

Richard Fitts earned his first career win on Monday night after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk with six strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings pitched as the Boston Red Sox defeated the Colorado Rockies, 9-3.

On Tuesday afternoon, Fitts was optioned to Triple-A Worcester.

The timing is unfortunate for the 25-year-old right-hander, but the move isn’t shocking, as Alex Speier of The Boston Globe noted that fellow starter Hunter Dobbins is slated to be activated from the injured list this week.

Fitts’ six punchouts matched his career-high (set on June 25 against the Los Angeles Angels) and Monday was his sixth straight start allowing just one walk, after issuing four free passes on April 7 vs. the Toronto Blue Jays.

Monday was the 2021 sixth-round pick’s 12th career start, and while he’d gone only 0-4 across the previous 11 outings, the Red Sox had gone 0-10 until finally earning a win during a Fitts start in the suspended game against the Cincinnati Reds last week.

Despite being winless entering Monday’s contest, Fitts has posted solid numbers during his short career in Boston. The Alabama native went 0-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 20 2/3 innings covering four starts in his first taste of the big leagues in 2024 and he’s now 1-3 with a 4.28 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 33 2/3 innings (eight starts) in 2025.

The Fitts demotion wasn’t the only move made by the Red Sox on Tuesday, as they also called up relief pitcher Isaiah Campbell from Worcester and transferred reliever Liam Hendriks to the 60-day IL.

Campbell has yet to pitch in the majors this year and made eight appearances with Boston in 2024, allowing 13 runs (12 earned) on 14 hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings pitched.

Hendriks signed with the Red Sox in February 2024 but missed all of last season due to an elbow injury. He went 0-2 with a 6.59 ERA across 14 outings this spring before landing on the IL in late May due to right hip inflammation.

Fitts will likely remain a fixture of the rotation, but with six games remaining until the All-Star break, Boston elected to add an additional reliever in Campbell, with Dobbins — a fresh starter — waiting in the wings instead of carrying a starter who would not pitch during the bulk of the aforementioned stretch after Monday’s start.