Reaching the big leagues is a rarely accomplished feat for prospects all across MLB, however, to undergo the experience Boston Red Sox pitcher Richard Fitts experienced in the hours leading to his long-awaited debut, is even more rare.
Fitts, a full-time big league pitcher and an undergraduate student at Auburn simultaneously, didn't kick back and relax before taking on the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday. The 24-year-old tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings, which would grant any typical big leaguer a well-earned four days of rest in the rotation. But Fitts, while grateful for the once-in-a-lifetime experience in Boston, was occupied before and after taking the mound; much more than your average big leaguer, in fact.
"I can't thank the Red Sox enough, my wife, my family for everything," Fitts said on NESN's "310 to Left" podcast. "They helped me out just kind of making us as comfortable as it could be for a major league debut. ... I was just mentally preparing for pitching at Fenway for the whole experience and everything like that, and then on top of that I also had about four assignments of homework that I had to do. I knew I wouldn't be able to get it done on Sunday with the game and stuff so I had to work on some homework."
Fitts, who's working on earning a degree in business administration, was the center prospect acquired in Boston's offseason Alex Verdugo trade with the New York Yankees, went 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA for the Worcester Red Sox, striking out 111 hitters in 116 2/3 innings pitched this season.
Check out the full episode of NESN's "310 To Left" podcast here:
