Ahead of Tuesday night’s game with the visiting Los Angeles Angels, the Red Sox made another slew of changes to the pitching staff.
One week after reinstating Richard Fitts from the 15-day injured list on May 27, the Red Sox optioned the right-hander to Triple-A.
Fitts’ start on Monday lasted just one inning. He allowed six runs, five earned, on four hits, including a trio of home runs, issued a walk and didn’t strike anyone out. The Red Sox were trying to stretch him out after his first start back – three shutout innings in Milwaukee on May 27 – but decided to pivot.
“We were in the middle of extending him, right, and to do it at this level, you know, after yesterday, it was going to be hard, so Hunter (Dobbins) will be in the rotation,” manager Alex Cora explained.
The Red Sox also placed Nick Burdi on the 15-day injured-list with a right-foot contusion, from making a play at first base in Monday’s series opener. The X-rays showed that the righty didn’t suffer a fracture, but the IL placement was necessary when he felt sore on Tuesday and they knew he wouldn’t be available to pitch “for a while.”
To fill their spots on the pitching staff, the Red Sox recalled righty reliever Zack Kelly, whom they’d previously sent back to Worcester when Fitts returned from his injury, and fellow righty Cooper Criswell.
Kelly entered Tuesday with an 8.25 ERA over eight appearances for the Red Sox. He began his season with back-to-back scoreless outings of two and one innings, respectively, but has allowed 12 runs (11 earned) on 12 hits, with three walks and 10 strikeouts across the subsequent six outings (nine innings). He owns an identical 8.25 ERA over 11 outings, also totaling 12 innings, in Triple-A.
Criswell spent most of the ‘24 season with the big-league club, working primarily as a starter (18 of 26 games), but he entered Tuesday with only three appearances for the ‘25 team between March 31 and April 6. After a scoreless inning in his season debut, he allowed a combined five earned runs over 3 ⅓ innings in the following two outings. He’s had immense success with the WooSox, though, posting a 1.52 ERA over seven games (six starts), with 38 strikeouts and nine walks across 29 ⅔ innings. He’s yielded eight runs, but only five earned, on 19 hits, and allowed just two home runs.
“Strike-throwing, the cutter is playing, so he’s in a good spot,” Cora assessed.
These latest moves come two days after the club placed Justin Slaten, one of their key bullpen arms, on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation and recalled Luis Guerrero from Triple-A.
Kutter Crawford (knee) was supposed to pitch live batting practice this week, but the Red Sox had to press ‘Pause’ when the right-hander felt “wrist pain,” his manager announced on Tuesday afternoon. Crawford has been working at the club’s spring training complex in Fort Myers, Fla. but is scheduled to fly to Boston to have his wrist checked out.
“Hopefully nothing serious,” Cora said. “They’ll check on him. He says that it’s nothing serious but we just want to make sure.”
Red Sox lineup (June 3)
Jarren Duran LF
Rafael Devers DH
Rob Refsnyder RF
Romy Gonzalez 1B
Abraham Toro 3B
Trevor Story SS
Ceddanne Rafaela CF
Connor Wong C
Kristian Campbell 2B
Angels lineup
Zach Neto SS
Nolan Schanuel 1B
Mike Trout DH
Taylor Ward LF
Jorge Soler RF
Travis d’Arnaud C
Luis Rengifo 3B
Jo Adell CF
Chris Taylor 2B
Probable pitchers
LHP Yusei Kikuchi vs. RHP Brayan Bello
How to watch
First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET at Fenway Park
Watch: NESN, FanDuel Sports Network West (Angels)
Listen: WEEI 93.7 FM, WCCM 1490 AM (SP), WESX 1230 AM (SP)
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