Red Sox Notes: Richard Fitts Supplies Silver Lining In Loss To Blue Jays

The Boston Red Sox overcame the rainfall that hovered over Fenway Park, but they couldn’t overcome the Toronto Blue Jays in Monday night’s 6-2 defeat.

Boston’s offense, responsible for scoring 23 runs during Sunday’s doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals, went weary as the dreary weather conditions returned. Players, both in the Red Sox and Blue Jays dugouts, sported face masks and long sleeves to stay warm, but nothing could get Boston’s bats hot from start to finish. The Red Sox went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, tallied five hits and stranded six runners on the base path.

Meanwhile, starting pitcher Richard Fitts kept the team in the running as Boston entered the contest winners of its last five straight.

“I think he did a good job,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters postgame, per NESN. “He just — obviously, George (Springer) got a few hits there with men on, (off) sliders and put the ball in play. He didn’t hit the ball hard, right? They just hit the ball forward. But he’s still learning. I thought the stuff was good. Like I said, made some adjustments toward the end and was able to give us six (innings). We needed six today and he did, and now we’re lining up for the rest of the series.”

Fitts weathered Boston’s frigid temperatures and allowed three runs through six innings off six hits and four walks. The right-hander struck out four Toronto hitters and threw 102 pitches, most importantly giving the Red Sox a chance after escaping multiple jams in which the Blue Jays threatened to break open the scoring deficit.

“Honestly, I felt pretty good out there,” Fitts told reporters, per NESN. “More than anything, the wind made the ball a little bit slicker and if you could see, I was licking my fingers every pitch, trying to find anything to get grip and do what I can with that.”

The Red Sox have received two quality starts — both losses charged to Fitts — from the 25-year-old to begin the season. Both times, Fitts has gone six innings while holding opponents to three runs with the common determining factor being a lackluster offensive performance from the lineup, unable to support Fitts. Boston can still bounce back with ace Garrett Crochet next in line to take the mound, and three games remaining in the series.

Here are more notes from Monday night’s Red Sox-Blue Jays game:

— Connor Wong made an early departure with a left pinky fracture after Boston’s catcher interfered with a Springer swing in the top of the first inning. Cora provided an update on Boston’s starting catcher after Wong was replaced by Carlos Narváez.

“He’s going on the (injured list),” Cora revealed, per NESN. “How long? We don’t know. Just, late swing got him good, so we’re going to have to make a move.”

— Red Sox outfielder/infielder Ceddanne Rafaela made the start in center field and made a sensational sliding catch off a deep fly ball from Toronto’s Bo Bichette to record the first out of the game. According to Statcast, Rafaela’s catch probability on the play was 5%.

“Obviously, that ball was (hit) really hard, and I had to take off my eyes to see where Willy (Abreu’s) at and where’s the wall,” Rafaela told reporters, per NESN. “So, I think those are just instincts.”

— Blue Jays starting pitcher José Berríos threw an absolute gem for Toronto, charged with one run through seven innings off four hits and three walks with two strikeouts. The right-hander has been perfect through his last four starts versus Boston, going 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA across 27 1/3 innings pitched.

— Springer went 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBIs on Monday night. The four-time All-Star is now a career. 310 hitter with 14 doubles, 17 home runs and 54 RBIs across 79 career games against the Red Sox.

— The Red Sox and Blue Jays will continue their four-game series on Tuesday night. First pitch from Fenway Park is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET, and you can catch the game, along with a full hour of pregame coverage, live on NESN.