Starting pitcher Garrett Richards and the Boston Red Sox agreed to a one-year $ 10 million deal, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Saturday.
The deal is pending a physical exam.
Richards’ biggest success during the pandemic-shortened season was staying healthy. The veteran righthanded man made 10 starts for the San Diego Padres in 2020, 2-2 with a 4.03 ERA, 46 strikeouts and 17 walks. He was moved to the bullpen at the end of the season and during the playoffs.
The 32-year veteran fared much better against righthanded hitters (.589 OPS) than against lefthanders, who had a .853 OPS against him during the season.
Richards has a long history of injuries to his arms. He underwent Tommy John surgery to repair his damaged ulnar collateral ligament after making 16 starts with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, and he signed with the Padres after that season knowing that he would spend most of the freshman year would rehabilitate. career. $ 15 million two-year contract. He returned to the mound for San Diego late in the 2019 season, posting an 8.31 ERA in 8 2/3 innings in three starts.
Another anterior cruciate ligament injury, for which he underwent treatment with stem cells and platelet-rich plasma, limited Richards to just six starts in 2016, and he made only six starts in 2017 due to bicep irritation.
He also tore his left patellar tendon in 2014 while covering first base at Fenway Park, ending a season just started.
Richards, who was a member of the Angels for his first eight seasons, has a career record of 47-41 with a 3.62 ERA and 702 strikeouts and 291 walks.