Al Fitzmorris was a cornerstone of the original Kansas City rotation, joining the organization as a selection from the Chicago White Sox in the 1968 Expansion Draft. While it took several years to find a permanent role in the shifting hierarchy of the new franchise, he eventually emerged as one of the most reliable right-handers of the early 1970s.
Fitzmorris spent the first half of his Kansas City tenure as a versatile weapon, moving between the bullpen and the rotation while the club searched for its identity. He demonstrated a specialized ability to eat innings in 1973, when he was promoted to a full-time starter and recorded eight wins with a 3.25 ERA. This transition served as the essential lead-in to his most productive stretch, where he evolved into a consistent winner for a team that was beginning to challenge the Oakland dynasty for supremacy in the American League West.
The 1974 through 1976 campaigns represented the peak of Fitzmorris's efficiency. He won at least 13 games each season, peaking with a 16-win season in 1975, and helped them reach their first playoff appearance in 1976. That would be his swansong in Kansas City, as he departed the organization exactly as he had arrived, when the Toronto Blue Jays selected him in the 1976 Expansion Draft.
Fitzmorris compiled a 70-48 record, a 3.51 ERA, and 450 strikeouts for the club.
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