After he was named to the Opening Day roster to fill two vacant spots in the Boston Red Sox's rotation, Richard Fitts has been moved to the injured list himself.
The righty on April 13 was placed on the 15-day IL with a right pectoral strain. He was slated to make what could've been his final start in the Red Sox's rotation for some time on April 18, but Boston must find a replacement in the wake of the injury news. According to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, there's a "chance" it will be Hunter Dobbins.
Dobbins, a top pitching prospect currently in the WooSox's rotation, made his MLB debut against the Cardinals at Fenway Park on April 6. He allowed two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings, but Dobbins cruised through the outing since Boston's bats gave him 13 runs of support.
Hunter Dobbins may start April 18 game for Red Sox in Richard Fitts' stead
Dobbins hasn't fared quite as well in Triple-A, with a 10.80 ERA with four strikeouts and four walks over 6.2 innings. Cora said Dobbins is in the mix for a potential Friday start with the big league team, but left room to potentially go with someone else. He said he'll decide on April 17.
Red Sox reliever Liam Hendriks could be activated for debut this weekend
The Red Sox expect Liam Hendriks to be ready for his debut soon. On Opening Day, the longtime closer was placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to March 24, with elbow inflammation.
Hendriks made what is likely his final rehab appearance on April 16 for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. He registered his third-straight scoreless appearance and collected a strikeout and a walk in the sixth inning. The righty's rehab performance has been much more successful than his spring training, which concerned some Sox fans — he surrendered seven runs on 14 hits in 6.1 innings in the Grapefruit League.
The Red Sox signed Hendriks before the 2024 season as he recovered from Tommy John surgery, and he's yet to pitch in the big leagues for the team after unexpected setbacks last year. Hendriks' hot streak during his rehab stint and his fiery attitude and contagious energy on the hill are sure to catapult him into fan-favorite status. Cora expects him to be activated this weekend.
Lucas Giolito's Red Sox debut delayed after rough rehab outing with Sea Dogs
Boston also expects Lucas Giolito — another arm signed before the 2024 season — to make his debut soon, but his latest rehab outing has delayed his progress. He appeared for the Sea Dogs on April 15 and allowed three runs on five hits over two innings. According to Christopher Smith of MassLive, just 34 of his 60 pitches landed for strikes.
Cora spoke to Giolito after his latest outings and told reporters he "didn't feel great" about the appearance. The Red Sox will likely give him at least another rehab start before he is activated to the big league roster, but Cora said he didn't know how many more appearances Giolito will need before he's ready.