Richards: Sox a ‘no-brainer’
Moreland gave rave reviews of organization
Even though he’s no longer a member of the Red Sox, Mitch Moreland is still helping them.
The former Red Sox first baseman, who was dealt to the San Diego Padres at last season’s trade deadline, has always been fond of his time in Boston, where he spent four years and won a World Series in 2018. And that helped them land free-agent pitcher Garrett Richards.
The veteran right-hander officially joined the Red Sox on a one-year deal on Wednesday, and he credited Moreland with helping him make the decision. The two first met in 2014, when they were coincidentally rehabbing from injuries at the same facility in Arizona, and reunited last season in San Diego. As Richards was pondering his next step this winter, Moreland convinced him that the Red Sox were the right move.
“He had nothing but great things to say about the Red Sox, about how from top to bottom first class, how they handle the family stuff and how they get their players everything they need to be successful and obviously they’ve won championships,” Richards said. “They’ve won a lot over the last 10 years or so, so it was kind of a no-brainer for me.
“Obviously I want to go somewhere where it checks a lot of boxes but I wanted to go somewhere that’s going to provide everything they can in order for us to win ball games. Like I said, I think that’s the most common goal in a locker room, to win ball games.”
Richards’ deal with the Red Sox will be for a guaranteed $10 million. He’ll earn a $8.5 million base salary in 2021, with a $10 million club option and $1.5 million buyout for 2022. The 2022 option can escalate by up to $1 million more based on games started, which maxes out at 30 starts.
Richards, who spent the first decade of his big-league career on the West Coast with the Angels and Padres, said he also wanted a chance to pitch on the east, and he’s relishing the chance to pitch in a loaded American League East, where he’s hoping he can return to form after injuries derailed his career.
Richards will likely slot in as a back-end starter for the Red Sox with high upside if he can continue to find effectiveness in his curveball and a fastball spin rate that’s vaulted him to the top of major league leaderboards. He’ll undoubtedly have a shot to prove himself in a rotation that poses significant injury risks, and he’s even more excited to join a team with an offense like the Red Sox has.
“When you get Chris Sale back, that’s a huge addition to any rotation,” Richards said. “Nathan Eovaldi, plus stuff. That guy is so much fun to watch. (Martin) Pérez just signed back. I played in the minor leagues against him. An incredible arm. I think it’s just going to be, you know, it’s going to be a chance for us to go out and pitch. I know we’re going to score runs. That’s historic in Boston. I feel like every time I’ve ever played Boston there hasn’t been any less than five runs scored. …
“I think it works on both ends, they showed a lot of interest and were sincere and I looked at it like a challenge,” Richards continued about his opportunity to play in Boston. “Like I said playing in that division but also going to a team that I know is going to score runs and have a lot of fun. These guys always look like they’re having a blast and those are the kinds of teams that I want to be a part of.”
Richards ran into bad injury luck just as he was flashing with the Angels in 2014 and 2015. He was carted out of Fenway Park in 2014 after tearing a patella tendon in his left knee, then tore a ligament in his throwing elbow in 2016. His biggest setback came in 2018, when he had Tommy John surgery, which he admitted Wednesday he should have gotten done in 2016.
Richards has made just 41 starts since the beginning of the 2016, but he’s presumably fully healthy as he enters Red Sox camp this month, and excited to get going.
“I feel good,” Richards said. “I’ve put in a lot of time and rehab into getting back on the field and making sure that I can keep my same stuff that I’ve always had. I think that’s just a credit to my hard work and the people that have been around me to help me to get to this point. A lot of hours, a lot of time, a lot of effort going into this to get me back on the field.”