Richard Fitts achieved one of his dreams earlier this month.
The 24-year-old made his big league debut for the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, September 8, making a start against the Chicago White Sox.
The Red Sox lost 7-2 to the Chicago White Sox, but Fitts was competent. He pitched 5.2 innings and allowed two runs (both unearned) while giving up six hits, a walk, and striking out two men.
As the number 13 prospect in the Red Sox organization, according to MLB.com, Fitts hopes to contribute more at the big-league level in years to come.
NewBostonPost conducted an interview with Fitts at Polar Park (home of the Worcester Red Sox, the Boston Red Sox Triple-A minor league affiliate) in Worcester, Massachusetts on Friday, April 19.
A transcript is below. The pitching coach he mentions is Grayson Crawford.
1. You were named the Eastern League (East Coast Double-A baseball league) Pitcher of the Year in 2023. What do you credit to having that breakout season?
Yeah, there’s a lot of things that go into it. I feel like I had great resources with me last year, including a pitching coach I had been with for a couple of years and really good catchers behind me. Ultimately, I felt like I was getting better every week and that’s what my goal was. I’m trying to do the same thing this year and am trying to feed that into the big leagues, too.
2. You were the student government president at Helena High School in Alabama. What was your favorite decision you made as president?
We were in a new school and trying to figure some stuff out, but I think we did a lot of things that were really good as far as homecoming and that sort of stuff. It was a fun time.
3. You got traded to the Red Sox organization from the New York Yankees in December 2023. Where were you when that happened and were you surprised that, given the historic rivalry between the two teams, that’s where you ended up?
Yeah, I was pretty surprised to get traded. I was sitting at a Christmas party with a few guys I work out with. I started getting the call. Tweets and texts started coming in. It was a fun experience.
4. You pitched for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod Baseball League for part of the 2021 summer. What was your favorite memory of the area?
Yeah, it was a fun time. We got to live in some dorms which was a lot of fun. I felt like I made some pretty good friends there and I like seeing their success that’s going on now. Like [Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher] Paul Skenes, he was on that team. Just seeing those guys that are having success and doing really well at the next level.
5. When’d you know you wanted to be a big leaguer and when did you realize that was a real possibility?
Yeah, you know, you grow up wanting to be a big leaguer, but ultimately, I felt like it was an opportunity for me when I was in college. I always grew up wanting to be a college baseball player, and when I got that opportunity, I was really excited and started getting some calls from some scouts and started realizing, “Hey, this might be an opportunity for me.” And I’m still trying to get there. We haven’t gotten there yet, but we’re trying to make that dream come true.
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