Garrett Richards

Garrett Thomas Richards (born May 27, 1988) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Amateur career

Richards attended Edmond Memorial High School, where he was a four-year letterwinner. His best season was in 2005, where he went 8–5 with a 2.97 ERA and 106 strikeouts. The team won regional championships in 2005 and 2006.

He was not drafted out of high school, going to the University of Oklahoma. In 2007, his freshman year, he recorded nine saves, the fourth most in team history. That summer, he played with the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In 2008, he made his first career collegiate start. He played the summer with the Mat-Su Miners of the Alaska Baseball League. 2009 was his best season, being a full-time starter he led the team in strikeouts (85) and wins (9).^[1]

Professional career

Minor Leagues

He was drafted in the first round, 42nd overall, by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, and earned an $802,800 signing bonus.^[2] He made his professional debut with Rookie level Orem, going 3–1 with a 1.53 ERA and a 7.50 strikeout to walk ratio. He started 2010 with Single-A Cedar Rapids, going 8–4 in 19 starts, earning a Midwest League All-Star selection. However, his walk total (34) did significantly rise in comparison to his strikeout total (108). He earned a mid-season promotion to High-A Rancho Cucamonga, going 4–1 with a 3.89 ERA in seven starts. He started 2011 with Double-A Arkansas, going 12–2 with a 3.06 ERA and three complete games in 21 starts, earning a Texas League All-Star selection.^[3]

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

On August 10, 2011, Richards was called up to take the rotation spot of Joel Piñeiro, filling in for the suspended Jered Weaver.^[4] His major league debut was not a good one. Richards took the loss to the New York Yankees, giving up 6 earned runs in 5 innings pitched. His ERA after the end of that game was a very high 10.80. During his call-up in 2011, he pitched in seven games, starting three, and went 0–2 with a 5.79 ERA.

In 10 starts during 2012 for the Angels Triple-A affiliate, the Salt Lake Bees, Richards was 5–2 with a 4.31 ERA, striking out 48 while walking 29. He was called up by the Angels on June 5, 2012 to replace Jered Weaver who was placed in the 15-day disabled list^[5] and won his first major league game against the Seattle Mariners pitching seven strong innings allowing only one earned run.^[6] Making 30 appearances (9 starts) in 2012, Richards finished with a 4-3 record and a 4.69 ERA.

In 2013, Richards made 47 appearances (17 starts) with a 7-8 record and a 4.16 ERA.

Richards in 2013

On June 4, 2014, Richards pitched an immaculate inning against the Houston Astros, striking out Jon Singleton, Matt Dominguez, and Chris Carter in order on nine pitches. In the week prior to the 2014 All-Star Game, Richards was selected as a final vote nominee, finishing second in voting to Chris Sale of the Chicago White Sox. On August 4, 2014, Richards pitched his first career shutout, allowing only five hits and no runs over nine innings, against the L.A. Dodgers.^[7]

On August 20, 2014, Richards suffered a knee injury while attempting to complete a double play at first base at Fenway Park during a game against the Boston Red Sox. He had to be carted off the field.^[8] Richards was diagnosed with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee and it prematurely ended his 2014 season. He underwent surgery on August 22. The rehabilitation from the injury required six and nine months.^[9] He made 26 starts in 2014, finishing 13-4 with a 2.61 ERA but threw an MLB-leading 22 wild pitches.

On April 19, 2015, Richards was activated from the disabled list, and make his first start since suffering a serious knee injury in August 2014. He made 32 starts and again led the MLB with wild pitches thrown, totaling 17 wild pitches. Nonetheless, his record was 15-12 with a 3.65 ERA.

Richards' 2016 season became short-lived as he made only 6 starts with a 1-3 record and a 2.34 ERA. On May 6, 2016, Richards was diagnosed with a torn ligament in his pitching elbow. The injury required Tommy John surgery, meaning that Richards would take no further part in baseball activities for the remainder of the 2016 season.

Pitching style

Richards leads with four-seam and two-seam fastballs at mid-90s mph (tops out at 99) with running action. He also has a changeup to lefties, a slider to righties, and a curveball. Joe Girardi, known for serving as manager of the New York Yankees, noted that Richards' fastball is exceptional because "its movement... is not consistent".^[10]

See also

• List of Major League Baseball pitchers who have struck out three batters on nine pitches

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• Oklahoma Sooners bio
• Garrett Richards on Twitter