It’s rare for prospects in MLB to make it to the big leagues; it’s more rarer for pitcher Richard Fitts of the Boston Red Sox to go through what he did in the hours before his much awaited debut.

Fitts didn’t take it easy before facing the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday. Fitts is a big league pitcher on a full-time basis and an undergraduate student at Auburn University. After throwing 5 2/3 scoreless innings, the 24-year-old earned himself a well-deserved four days off from the rotation. Fitts, however, was busy both before and after taking the mound—far busier than the typical big leaguer, even if he was appreciative of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in Boston.

Fitts stated, “I can’t thank the Red Sox enough, my wife, and my family for everything,” in the podcast “310 to Left” from NESN. They assisted me in ensuring that we were as comfortable as possible for our major league debut. I was just psychologically getting ready for the entire experience of pitching at Fenway and all that, and on top of that, I had four homework assignments to complete. I had to concentrate on my homework because I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it on Sunday with the game and other things.”

Fitts, a center prospect pursuing a degree in business administration, was acquired by Boston from the New York Yankees in the off-season in exchange for Alex Verdugo. This season, he pitched 116 2/3 innings for the Worcester Red Sox and finished 9-5 with a 4.17 ERA, striking out 111 batters.

The entire “310 To Left” podcast episode from NESN may be found here:

A rookie or two may provide a boost for the Bruins.

In terms of scoring, David Pastrnak could need a little assistance. The Bruins’ rookie class is set to report for duty on Wednesday, so we’ll soon know if internal support is an option.

With 110 points, a massive 43 points more than second-leading scorer Brad Marchand, Pastrnak led the Bruins in 2023–24. It was tied for the second-biggest disparity in the league.

Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning led the team with 144 points, 54 more than Brayden Point, who came in second on the team’s scoring chart. In addition, Artemi Panarin (120 points) scored 43 more points than Vincent Trocheck, the Rangers’ next-highest scorer.

Naturally, any squad would be lucky to have Pastrnak, Kucherov, or Panarin on it, and their skill greatly contributes to the success of their teams throughout the regular season. They all receive great compensation for it.

However, more steady backing from the entire lineup is required to win a Stanley Cup. It’s okay that those players have targets on their backs when the playoffs begin. It’s a part of the territory. However, it is not good when a team might become overly fixated on a single player. Maybe it’s no accident that the Florida Panthers, who won the Cup, defeated all three of those players en route to the championship game, but they had differing degrees of success in stopping the superstars. Panarin had 1-3-4 in six games, Pastrnak was kept to 1-2-3 in six, and Kucherov had 0-7-7 in five.

Part of that support came in the offseason from Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. Elias Lindholm, a two-way center who he signed, will ideally play with Pastrnak. With the addition of massive defenseman Nikita Zadorov and Lindholm’s offensive and defensive skills, the Bruins should be able to overcome the low-scoring games that Coach Jim Montgomery bemoaned.

However, the Bruins still need to put more firepower into the O-zone, particularly on the second line where a right wing opening exists. Perhaps a veteran better suited for bottom-six duty will fill it. The best-case scenario, though, would be if one of their young, talented players took the position.

On Wednesday morning, rookies report to Warrior Ice Arena in preparation for traveling to Buffalo for the annual Prospects Challenge, which takes place from Friday through Monday. The players’ physicals on Wednesday morning will reveal the tournament roster, but in the meantime, here are several players to keep an eye on, whether they participate in the rookie tournament or when the Bruins open the full camp on September 18. Additionally, there can be more than one combat.

Lysell Fabian

Lysell has a fantastic opportunity to take the leap now. The right-shot wing selected by the Bruins with their first-round choice in 2021 (number 21 overall) would, in theory, go well with Brad Marchand and Charlie Coyle. Lysell made significant progress last year after Providence Coach Ryan Mougenel voiced some dissatisfaction with the specifics of his game.

He had a record of 15-35-50 in 56 games during his second season with the P-Bruins. Lysell is 5 feet 11 inches and 181 pounds, so he is not the biggest player, but his skill level would be a welcome addition to a team that is more than OK in the size department. Marchand might be a huge asset to the wing’s development if Lysell can get a berth on that second line.

Jake DeBrusk, who is currently a Vancouver Canuck, is a better player as a result of learning that it is not acceptable to take short cuts in order to create a pretty play. Before Lysell was hurt at the end of the season, Sweeney said he was headed toward a call-up.

Georgii Merkulov

Merkulov, a left-shot centerman, would have to switch positions and play on his off side if he wanted to compete for the available right wing seat. That might be a much to ask. However, Merkulov can put the puck in the net. Since signing as an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State, he has been working on his own defensive shortcomings.

He increased his production to 30-35-65 in 67 games last season after recording 24-31-55 in 67 games in 2022–2023 season. Despite playing responsibly during his three-game call-up in the middle of the season, he was unable to light it up offensively. If he outperforms Matthew Poitras and moves up to the third line center position, that is another method he may get a spot on the team.

Poitras is now a possibility to be sent to Providence after gaining some weight throughout the offseason while recovering from shoulder surgery. Seeing how Poitras performs after playing in 33 NHL games and having a complete offseason under his belt will be interesting.

Duran Riley

When Sweeney brought up Duran’s name during his explanation of the right-wing competition, several eyebrows went up. At Providence College, Duran scored just 27 goals in 102 games as a collegiate player.

The Woburn native, however, is 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, which makes him a perfect match for the current Bruins roster—big, tough to play against, and strong along the walls. Duran scored two goals and provided two assists in 11 games during his time as a P-Bruins player at the close of the previous year, suggesting that his north-south style would work well in a professional setting.

Bussi, Brandon

When the Bruins acquired Joonas Korpisalo as part of the Linus Ullmark trade, the 26-year-old Bussi appeared to be the odd man out in the goaltender group. In contrast to Bussi, Korpisalo has a significant league track record despite a rough season in Ottawa last year.

However, Bussi was given a fair shot to become Jeremy Swayman’s backup when Sweeney, who signed him to a one-year extension just hours before acquiring Korpisalo, stated. Bussi deserves a thorough examination in camp after two successful seasons with the P-Bruins.

In addition, Swayman’s contract negotiations have not yet resulted in an extension. Although neither party wants to travel down this path for too long, the Bruins have two goalies prepared in case training camp rolls around and Swayman hasn’t signed.

Brunet, Frederic

With six regulars (Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm, Zadorov, Brandon Carlo, Andrew Peeke, and Mason Lohrei) and a reliable spare in Parker Wotherspoon, the Bruins appear to be as settled as they can be defensively. However, during the course of an 82-game schedule, teams frequently deploy more than seven defensive end, and Brunet is an intriguing prospect.

At 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, he possesses good size, mobility, and an offensive tilt to his game. Due to call-ups, Brunet, a fifth-round pick in 2022 (132nd overall), played more games in Providence last year than anticipated (48, 2-10-12) and demonstrated modest improvement in his skills. Although he may find it difficult to advance this year, he is an intriguing prospect. In a pinch, Mike Callahan, a 2018 fifth-round selection, might potentially compete for NHL time.