Blue Jays Sign Christian Bethancourt, Richard Lovelady To Minors Deals
The Toronto Blue Jays signed free-agent catcher Christian Bethancourt and left-hander Richard Lovelady to minor-league deals with invites to major-league spring training on Wednesday. Bethancourt will compete with Tyler Heineman in camp for the right to serve as Alejandro Kirk's primary backup in 2025. Meanwhile, Lovelady has had success against lefty hitters in his career and will give the Blue Jays more left-handed depth for their bullpen. Bethancourt, 33, broke into the big leagues back in 2013 with the Atlanta Braves and will be on his seventh MLB team. In 62 games with the Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs last year, he hit .209 with five home runs and 22 RBI in 147 plate appearances. Lovelady, 29, has held lefties to a .232/.312/.342 line in his five years in the majors. He had a 4.46 ERA and 1.31 WHIP with two saves in 34 1/3 frames with the Cubs and Rays in 2024.
The Tampa Bay Rays have non-tendered left-handed pitcher Richard Lovelady's contract, according to the team. Lovelady opened the 2024 campaign with the Chicago Cubs and eventually moved over to Tampa Bay. Across 34 1/3 cumulative innings in the big leagues, the southpaw held a 4.46 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. He carried a weak 17.7% K rate and a 46.3% hard-hit rate. However, he did generate a strong 51.9% ground ball rate which was significantly above the average marks. Through 22 innings in Triple-A, Lovelady posted a 4.09 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. Fantasy managers should expect Lovelady to continue to operate as a middle relief option out of the bullpen in 2025 if he can find a potential suitor.
Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Richard Lovelady (forearm) started a minor-league rehab assignment on July 8 in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, giving up four runs on three hits and a walk while recording two outs (one strikeout). Lovelady was scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Durham on Friday, marking his first back-to-back appearances on his rehab assignment. For the year, he's 2-4 with a 7.62 ERA in 15 games, including a 2-3 mark with a 7.36 ERA in eight games for the Rays, so he's well off the fantasy radar. The 29-year-old southpaw was acquired from the Cubs in May and was put on the 15-day injured list on June 8 with a left-forearm flexor strain a day after throwing a scoreless inning against the Orioles. Barring a setback on his rehab assignment, Lovelady could rejoin Tampa's bullpen in early August.
Rays Acquire Richard Lovelady, Send Jeff Belge To The Cubs
The Tampa Bay Rays are acquiring relief pitcher Richard Lovelady from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for relief pitcher Jeff Belge. Lovelady posted a hefty 7.94 ERA and 1.94 WHIP through 5 innings with the Cubs. Belge, who has yet to make his major league debut, has posted a 4.20 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 15 innings at Double-A. The 26-year-old should be expected to remain in Double-A as he joins the Cubs system. Lovelady is the only healthy southpaw currently in the Rays bullpen with Colin Poche (back) on the 15-day injured list. Lovelady should remain on all waiver wires but could tally the occasional hold pitching for a strong Rays team.
Free-agent relief pitcher Richard Lovelady has signed a minor-league deal with the Chicago Cubs. The 28-year-old will presumably receive an invite to big-league spring training. After three years with the Royals, Lovelady spent the 2023 campaign with the A's, working to a 4.63 ERA in 27 outings before a forearm strain suffered in July cost him the rest of his season. Lovelady worked to a rock-solid 3.48 ERA with the Royals in 2022 but sits with a 5.26 ERA across 73 outings and 65 innings of work in the big leagues. His 3.99 SIERA from 2023 is decent and he posted a palatable 14.6% K-BB% a season ago, as well. He will compete for a left-handed bullpen role with the Cubs or could serve as Triple-A bullpen depth in 2024.
Oakland Athletics left-hander Richard Lovelady (forearm) will not pitch again this season, according to manager Mark Kotsay. Lovelady was placed on the injured list on July 11 due to a left-forearm issue. He appeared in 27 games for the A's out of the bullpen and had a 4.63 ERA (4.57 FIP), 1.07 WHIP, 10 walks and 24 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings pitched in his first year in Oakland. After visiting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, an examination of Lovelady's forearm showed a left flexor-pronator strain. The 28-year-old southpaw has a 5.26 ERA (4.44 FIP), 1.34 WHIP, 25 walks and 64 strikeouts in 65 relief innings in the big leagues in four seasons.
Oakland Athletics left-hander Richard Lovelady (elbow) threw a 20-pitch live bullpen session on Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. The 27-year-old has been on the injured list since June 16 after suffering a left elbow strain. Before the injury, Lovelady pitched to a 3.86 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 23.8% strikeout rate with four holds and no saves across 21 innings. He'll likely need a few more bullpen sessions and possibly a rehab assignment, giving him a return date of sometime in early July. When Lovelady is back, fantasy managers can expect more holds and possibly some save opportunities, but fantasy owners don't need to stash him on any roster.
Oakland Athletics reliever Richard Lovelady was the losing pitcher in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Houston Astros after allowing one run on a Yordan Alvarez solo shot in the eighth inning. He also struck out one without walking anyone over one inning, and the 27-year-old still has impressive numbers, as he's running a 2.13 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 14 punchouts across 12.2 innings. The A's are thin in the bullpen, and with Zach Jackson (elbow) on the injured list, Lovelady is projected as one of the options for save situations, along with Garrett Acton, Sam Moll, and Austin Pruitt. Although saves will be at a premium in Oakland, fantasy managers in need of a closer should keep tabs on how this situation unfolds.
Richard Lovelady Non-Tendered, Expected To Rejoin Royals
The Kansas City Royals have non-tendered pitcher Richard Lovelady, but he is expected to rejoin the team with a minor-league deal. The left-handed Lovelady appears unlikely to pitch in 2022 after having his 2021 seasoned cut short by Tommy John surgery. Before sustaining the injury, he was performing quite well, putting up a 3.48 ERA in 20 2/3 innings in relief. This move saves the Royals a 40-man roster spot while Lovelady recovers, and if all goes well he is expected to once again be a bullpen option in 2023.
Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Brian Flynn (elbow) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday. Flynn has missed the first two months of the season and has not pitched yet. He's someone that could pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen or get a few spot starts in. Richard Lovelady has been optioned to the minors in a corresponding move. He had a 4.26 ERA in 16 appearances, but should be back soon. Neither player has enough fantasy value to be owned in leagues.
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