The Boston Red Sox have 48 hours to improve their roster ahead of Thursday evening's trade deadline. Will the team pursue a starting first baseman after platooning Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez? Will they move on from a veteran outfielder? CBO Craig Breslow has the bullets to make a deal happen, from Boston's prospect pool to valuable pieces already on the roster. Whether or not he'll pull the trigger to improve this team now is the biggest question of them all.
All season long, the Red Sox have had issues with the back end of their starting rotation. Tanner Houck was far from his 2024 form when he was with the team, and Walker Buehler has a 5.72 ERA after being given $21 million this past offseason. Lucas Giolito is inconsistent, and Hunter Dobbins gave the team hope in his starts before his season-ending knee injury.
With Boston in a playoff position just days before the deadline, the team has an issue when it comes to its No.5 starter. Richard Fitts had taken over that role, until shaky outings against the Phillies and Twins led to his demotion earlier on Tuesday.
Red Sox Demote Richard Fitts to Worcester After Monday's Start
Richard Fitts got the ball on Monday against the Twins, where he went just four innings, allowing 4 hits, 2 earned runs, and 3 walks while striking out two Minnesota batters. The outing leaves Fitts with a 1-4 record and a 4.83 ERA, and also leaves Alex Cora with a tough decision to make every fifth day.
Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported that Fitts has been demoted to Triple-A Worcester following Mondays start, and Cooper Criswell will take his spot on the roster for the time being.
Red Sox are calling up Cooper Criswell to replace Richard Fitts spot on the roster, per @alexspeier. pic.twitter.com/RNPVh98Q78
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) July 29, 2025
Criswell has made six appearances out of the Red Sox bullpen this season, holding a 5.06 ERA across 10.2 innings pitched. Last season, the 29-year-old made 18 starts for Boston, pitching to a 6-5 record and 4.08 ERA.
While Fitts hasn't pitched well outside of his starts against the lowly Rockies and Reds, Criswell hasn't shown Boston much promise in the majors when called upon. He hasn't necessarily been good for Triple-A Worcester either, posting a 5.60 ERA in the month of July.
Criswell will likely take on a long relief role with the team, as the Red Sox bullpen has been busy over the past week. Aroldis Chapman experienced back spasms in his appearance against the Dodgers on Sunday, and Garrett Whitlock was among the few sick from the turbulence-filled flight to Minnesota. The team has been leaning heavily on Greg Weissert, Justin Wilson, and Jordan Hicks recently, and Criswell will be brought up as a fresh arm.
The demotion of Fitts doesn't answer any questions at the back-end of the rotation; it enhances them. Kyle Harrison, who was acquired in the Rafael Devers trade, has pitched to a 4.13 ERA in the minors since his arrival. Houck and Patrick Sandoval have hit setbacks in their rehab efforts, with it looking unlikely that the latter will pitch this season.
Crochet, Bello, Giolito, and Buehler are four pitchers stamped into the rotation moving forward this season. The fifth is a mystery, and Craig Breslow would be wise to inquire about potential trade candidates in Sandy Alcantara, Mitch Keller, Merrill Kelly, among others. The Red Sox do not have a capable No.5 starter, and acquiring one before Thursday's deadline could be the difference between a playoff berth and another October spent on the couch.