Red Sox drop Tanner Houck, play with Richard Fitts against the Yankees

Shortly before continuing their four-game series against the host New York Yankees on Friday night, the Boston Red Sox pulled their starting pitcher Tanner Houck from the game due to fatigue in his right shoulder.

Rookie right-hander Richard Fitts replaced Houck for his second career start.

Houck's rotation was pushed back due to fatigue, and the Red Sox did not announce he would start until Thursday. He was scheduled to start as a pitcher for the first time since Sept. 4, after allowing four runs on five hits in an 8-3 loss to the New York Mets.

Houck has an 0-4 record and a 4.78 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star break. The right-hander has pitched 169⅔ innings in 28 starts, which is a career high after throwing 106 innings in 21 starts last season.

Fitts made his major league debut on Sunday, allowing two unearned runs on six hits in 5⅔ innings of a no-decision game against the Chicago White Sox.

The Red Sox acquired Fitts along with reliever Greg Weissert from the Yankees in December in exchange for Alex Verdugo.