DUNEDIN, FL – FEBRUARY 16: President of Baseball Operations for the Philadelphia Phillies Dave Dombrowski speaks to the media during the Spring Training Grapefruit League Media Day at Blue Jays Player Development Complex on Thursday, February 16, 2023 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Philadelphia Phillies have already made what is likely to be the most consequential move of their offseason.
On Tuesday, during the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings, news broke that the team had agreed on a reunion with designated hitter Kyle Schwarber thanks to a five-year, $150 million contract. Though there is plenty of time for the team to pull off another big move, and a number of available players could certainly improve the roster, the Phillies seem likely to stick with more peripheral changes ahead of opening day.
And on Friday, the team’s latest such transaction was announced by analyst Steve Potter, who reported that the Phillies had signed right-handed pitcher Trevor Richards to a minor league contract for next season.
“The 32-year-old pitched last season in the (Chicago) Cubs, (Kansas City) Royals and (Arizona) Diamondbacks organizations,” Potter noted. “He was signed by the Cubs in January, released in May, signed by the Royals in May, released in June and then signed by Arizona with whom he finished the season — he elected free agency in October.”
After being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks — a key National League rival for the Phillies — Richards might no longer profile as a big-league pitcher. But a long career up to this point suggests he might still find a way to factor into the Phillies’ major league roster.
Across eight seasons with seven different teams, Richards has racked up 616 career strikeouts and maintained a 4.53 ERA. He’s primarily been a relief option in his career, but has started 61 total games and began his career as a starter.
His best career season likely came in 2021, when he pitched for three different teams in the Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays. In that campaign, he posted a 3.50 ERA with 78 strikeouts while finishing 10 games across the three clubs.
This past season, though, marked a significant step down for Richards. He lasted fewer than six innings in the big leagues, posting a 7.94 ERA. He spent most of the season with the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate in Reno and that did not go much better.
“Richards in Triple-A with the Reno Aces logged roughly 30 innings and posted a 5.19 ERA across multiple stints,” Phillies Updates posted on Instagram while reporting the signing.
The Phillies will be hoping the veteran can bounce back and provide some minor league depth for the organization, some tutelage for its younger pitchers and, perhaps, a return to the big leagues if he can recapture some of his previous form.