2025 In A Discarded-On-The-Dugout-Floor Nutshell
Richard Fitts, acquired a couple of offseasons ago for Alex Verdugo, had some difficulties finding his spot in the rotation, along with the strike zone, and also dealth with the worst struggle of all,
injuries.
The Good
At the age of 25, Richard Fitts ticked his velocity up a few notches in 2025. Had he qualified, his 95.7 average velocity on his fastball would be in the upper 30 percent, and he touched 99 on occasion. He also increased his arsenal to six pitches, adding a changeup and a curveball, while tweaking the slider to increase its active velocity towards the upper 80’s. In starting the season as the number four option in the rotation, he also proved capable of going deeper than five innings in games, a type of dependability that the Red Sox’s rotation have gravely needed across the board for a number of years.
The Bad
There are really two main shortcomings outlined by a third, one that’s no fault of Fitts’: he dealt with elbow neuritis which was aggravated by one pitch four innings into his first game back in the rotation on August 25. This came after a right pectoral strain that landed him on the IL for two months. You can see below that while Fitts garners some swings on some balls out of the strike zone on his two most utilized pitches, he has some trouble finding the zone again, especially on the latter.
His starts after those aforementioned six-inning games are also a discerning factor in the question of whether he’s going to be relied on as a reliever or rotation arm in 2026 (more on that in a second) as he only went three innings in his return from the pectoral injury and he got hit around on an April 2025 Tanner Houck level against the Angels on June 2, allowing six runs in an inning in a game the Red Sox ultimately pulled to within one before falling, 7-6. He was demoted to Worcester in June, but looked solid and durable down there, working his way back up to that five-inning threshold. Still, the struggle to keep the ball in the ballpark (his hard hit percentage would rank in the 15th percentile had he qualified) and the struggle to stay on the mound are some pink, at best, flags heading into next year; the best ability is availability.
Best Game or Moment
Easy. After that dismal start against the Angels, here he is on June 25 escaping a jam in the bottom of the first which, for a second, looks like he was headed down the same daunting path he had earlier in the month. He strikes out Mike Trout looking at 0:40, and if you think that Fitts may have gotten lucky with that called strike three, stay tuned, because he sits Luis Rengifo down with a beautiful pitch right after.
The Big Question
Is Fitts going to be a rotation option with the emergence of younger, more promising stars?
Maybe early in the season, and in a scenario that favors him if he stays healthy? As I previously stated, sometimes the best ability is availability. The Red Sox did not expect to have to use Payton Tolle and Connelly Early down the stretch, and the result was a mixed bag for the former, resulting in him probably starting 2026 either as a relief arm or in Worcester. I think another answer to this question would depend on how aggressive Craig Breslow wants to get with a number two arm, or if he’s satisfied with Brayan Bello in that position. Richard Fitts is assuredly not in the conversation for a top-of-the-rotation arm, but there are many scenarios that see the righty from Alabama emerge as a number five starter behind Crochet, (insert acquisition here), Bello (switch the last two I named depending on your level of offseason optimism), and Early. However, it may be a bit more advantageous to try Fitts in a less consequential role, such as a multi-inning reliever, or perhaps have him continue to improve his velocity and the newer pitches in his arsenal down at Polar Park.
2026 and Beyond
In discussing Fitts’ tribulations, including that 5.00 ERA, it’s important to recognize that he’s just 25 years old. He also will be under team control until 2031. Right now, there’s too much upside for a guy approaching 100 miles an hour with his fastball. He just needs to find his control, and he can be competing for a spot on this rotation for years to come.
