Richard Fitts Reflects On ‘Unreal’ Red Sox Start Against Yankees

Richard Fitts expected to pitch at Yankee Stadium at some point this weekend, but starting Friday night was not on the Red Sox pitcher’s mind.

Boston called Fitts’ number when Tanner Houck was late scratched due to a nagging shouder issue. Fitts pitched five scoreless innings recording two strikeouts and three walks. Aaron Judge turned the game around to help the Yankees win, but Fitts showed the Red Sox won the Alex Verdugo trade.

“It was a pretty unreal night,” Fitts told reporters, per MassLive. “I was excited to be here. It was a quick turnaround to find out when I was starting but I welcomed the challenge. I expected to pitch today. Just getting the start, it’s pretty cool to have that here in Yankee Stadium.”

Fitts was drafted by the Yankees in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB Draft and built a foundation in Triple-A Worcester as a future contributor for Boston. While the bullpen ruined the night for Fitts’ outing, the right-hander showed he could soon be a consistent big-league contributor.

“I’m just super blessed and super thankful to have the opportunity to wear a Red Sox uniform now and hopefully for a long time to come,” Fitts told reporters, per The Boston Globe.

Alex Verdugo has been a bust for the Yankees, and solid runs in the majors from Fitts and Greg Weissert as well as what Nicholas Judice could bring shows Boston has a bright future ahead.