In a nail-biting showdown against the Chicago White Sox, the Boston Red Sox faced an unexpected hurdle as pitcher Richard Fitts exited the game during the sixth inning due to right shoulder pain.

Following the tense 3-2 loss at Rate Field, Red Sox manager Alex Cora provided an update on Fitts's condition, stating, "He has right shoulder pain. He’s going to Boston tomorrow for further evaluation. He’ll get an MRI on Monday, and we’ll know more then."

Fitts's performance prior to the injury was impressive, completing five scoreless innings and striking out five batters while allowing only two hits and a walk. However, any injury to a starting pitcher raises alarms.

Cora expressed his concerns, noting, "Whenever you have to come out of a game and talk about MRIs, you always get concerned. He really wanted to keep going, but my job is to take care of my players. Hopefully, we stopped at the right time, and he doesn’t miss too much time."

Speaking in the visitors’ clubhouse, a visibly disappointed Fitts said, "I’m not sure yet how serious it is. It’s really disappointing for it to happen, especially in a game where I was feeling good. I trust our team and staff to make the right calls, and we’ll find out what’s going on."

Fitts recalled the moment he felt something was off while pitching his 76th throw, saying, "It was something different that I hadn’t felt before. I felt like I was in a groove, but then I could tell I wasn’t able to throw my best pitches." He emphasized, "It’s close to the shoulder, but we’ll figure out exactly what’s wrong and move forward from there. We have a great medical staff."

With one game left against the White Sox before heading to Tampa Bay for a three-game series, Fitts is hopeful that he will have clarity on his injury before his next start. He stated, "I’ve never missed a start in my professional career. I take a lot of pride in my health, and I hope nothing serious is happening. I’m going back to Boston tomorrow. I wasn’t scheduled to pitch in Tampa anyway, so I hope to stay on track and be back on the mound soon."