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The Boston Red Sox are one of the hottest teams in baseball, but their latest win came with a major setback. Rookie pitcher Hunter Dobbins exited Friday night’s 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays after suffering a non-contact injury while covering first base. On Saturday, the team confirmed the worst. Dobbins sustained a torn right ACL, an injury that will likely end his 2025 season.
The 25-year-old had just returned from the injured list after recovering from a right elbow strain. Making his first start since June 20th, Dobbins recorded five outs before going down in visible pain while taking a throw from Abraham Toro. He attempted one warmup pitch before walking off with team trainers.
The timing couldn’t have been worse. Dobbins was just working his way back when disaster struck, ending his season before it could truly restart. Now, Boston’s already thin rotation takes another hit, forcing the club to lean even more on young arms like Fitts to keep them afloat down the stretch.
To fill the void, the Red Sox recalled right-hander Richard Fitts from Triple-A Worcester. Fitts, who has made eight major league starts this season with a 4.28 ERA, is expected to slot into the rotation as Boston scrambles to reinforce its already battered pitching staff.
The news gained further traction when The Boston Globe’s Tim Healy shared a sobering quote from Dobbins on X, formerly Twitter.
“Hunter Dobbins said he knew immediately last night what happened, because it was the same feeling as when he tore his right ACL in high school playing football.”
Healy added that Dobbins received word of Boston’s walk-off win while undergoing his MRI.
The right-hander took the mound 13 times (11 starts) this season, going 4-1 with a 4.13 ERA over 61 innings. His sweeper-heavy arsenal and poise on the mound had given Boston much-needed rotational depth. The loss stings even more considering Dobbins had just been cleared to return and was being closely monitored as part of the Red Sox pitching depth plan for the second half.
Still, Boston enters Saturday with eight straight wins and a 9-1 record over its last 10 games. The Red Sox are 51-45 and currently hold the second AL Wild Card spot, trailing only the first-place Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees in the division. Manager Alex Cora continues to keep the club locked in despite setbacks, leaning on a recharged offense that’s powered recent momentum.
As Dobbins likely heads for surgery, Fitts’ role with the Red Sox suddenly carries greater importance in a season that refuses to slow down.
