Garrett Richards Earns Save By Throwing Just One Pitch
Texas Rangers right-hander Garrett Richards earned his first save of the year during Wednesday's game against the Oakland Athletics by throwing just one pitch. He entered the game with two outs in the ninth inning and runners on second and third with the Rangers up 5-2. He was able to get Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt to fly out on the only pitch he threw to close things out. Brett Martin has recently emerged as the team's primary closer after Joe Barlow lost the ninth inning job. Martin has converted each of his three save chances this month, but was likely unavailable on Wednesday as he pitched on Monday and Tuesday this week. Richards isn't someone to chase for saves at this point.
Garrett Richards To Land On Injured List With Blister
Texas Rangers pitcher Garrett Richards (finger) will open the 2022 season on the injured list due to a blister on his middle finger. The 33-year-old signed with the Rangers in March. He spent the 2021 season with the Boston Red Sox and went 7-8 with a 4.87 ERA and a 1.595 WHIP. He allowed a 47.8% hard-hit rate on the year, which ranked in the bottom 1% of the league. He also ranked in the bottom 10% of the league in xERA (5.58) and average exit velocity (91.1 mph). Richards has a shot at seeing some time in the Rangers rotation this year, but he'll need to work out some kinks in order to have success on the mound.
Free-agent right-hander Garrett Richards signed an undisclosed one-year deal with the Texas Rangers on Thursday. The deal includes an option for the 2023 season. Richards was with the Boston Red Sox last season, posting a 4.87 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, three saves, 115 strikeouts and 60 walks in 40 appearances (22 starts) over 136 2/3 innings pitched. He began the season in the starting rotation before being moved to the bullpen when he wasn't effective. The 33-year-old is expected to serve in a multi-inning relief role in Texas, which won't make him attractive in fantasy circles. There's a chance that Richards eventually moves back into a starting role, but until that happens, you can ignore him.
The Boston Red Sox declined their club options on right-hander Garrett Richards ($10 million) and left-hander Martin Perez ($6 million) on Sunday, making them both free agents. Both pitchers started the year in Boston's rotation but ended the season pitching in relief. Richards will receive a $1.5 million buyout, while Perez receives a $500,000 buyout. Richards, 34, was 7-8 on the season with a 4.87 ERA in 40 outings (22 starts) for Boston in 2021. Perez also went 7-8 with a 4.74 ERA in 36 appearances (22 starts) for the BoSox during the regular season. While one or both of them could get some consideration in starting roles on the free-agent market, neither of them will be very attractive fantasy options in deeper leagues.
Matt Barnes Replaces Garrett Richards On Playoff Roster
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Matt Barnes replaced Garrett Richards (hamstring) on the playoff roster after Richards suffered a hamstring strain during his daily conditioning routine. Barnes threw an inning in Friday's Game 2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays, allowing a hit and two walks and striking out one batter. Manager Alex Cora bemoaned the heavy early season workload for Barnes, but Boston has little choice but to count on him for the rest of this series at least. Richards will not be eligible to return to the roster until the World Series, should Boston advance that far.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Richards has taken well to his job in the bullpen, and he saved his third game of the season Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles. Richards struck out one and did not allow a baserunner in his lone inning of work. He now has three saves on the year. He has allowed exactly two earned runs in 13 relief appearances, and he could now become a factor for saves in a wide-open bullpen, but fantasy managers need not rush to the wire for now. Adam Ottavino remains the primary end-of-game option.
Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Garrett Richards tossed three shutout innings to collect the save in a 4-0 win at Tampa Bay on Thursday. Richards allowed one hit and one walk while picking up four strikeouts in his second save this season. Fantasy managers shouldn't rush out and add the former starter, however, as this was a non-save chance when Richards was brought into the game; he was only credited with the save due to completing the last three innings, and Adam Ottavino should still be considered the closer in Boston for now. Richards can safely be left on waivers in all fantasy formats.
Boston Red Sox pitcher Garrett Richards made his first relief appearance of the season Friday, entering in the seventh inning and going the distance to earn his first save of the year, just the third of his career. Richards allowed four hits and struck out four Baltimore Orioles in his three innings of work. He doesn't figure to factor into the saves situation going forward, as he's just been demoted from the rotation, so he's best left on the waiver wire.
Garrett Richards Middling In Bid To Retain Rotation Spot
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Richards entered Sunday's start against the Toronto Blue Jays with plenty of questions around whether he would remain in the rotation when Chris Sale is ready to return from the injured list. He responded by allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and a walk in five innings. He struck out two batters. The fact that this outing represents a mild improvement for Richards, who hasn't come up with a quality start since June 1, speaks volumes. Richards should not be long for the rotation for Boston, and he's well off the radar for fantasy managers.
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Richards endured yet another tough outing Tuesday, exiting after allowing three runs on five hits and two walks in four innings. He struck out five batters. Richards has a 5.21 ERA for the year, and an even worse 7.26 ERA over his last seven starts. He already belongs nowhere near fantasy rosters, but with Chris Sale on the brink of a return, he may not be long for the rotation anyway, rendering him unusable for fantasy purposes.