Hopefully Garrett Richards isn’t in charge of packing for family trips. After another rough outing, the veteran right-hander remarked he’s still getting used to Boston’s unpredictable springtime weather.
In fact, Richards says he’s unfamiliar with the routine of even wearing a jacket during the baseball season. The California native spent the previous 10 years of his career playing in The Golden State.
“I mean, I didn’t even pack a jacket for a season until this year, so I’m going on my ninth, almost 10th year,” he told reporters Wednesday, via NESN. “So yeah, it’s something different, but it’s nothing that can be dealt with. I just got to make adjustments. I’m not making excuses I just got to, I got to figure out a way to get it done.”
Richards is right about one thing: he’s not getting it done. He struggled mightily with his command against the Blue Jays, walking six batters in 4.2 innings. The Red Sox are 1-3 in his starts, compared to 11-4 when everybody else takes the mound. (Toronto defeated Boston 6-3 on a damp and freezing evening at Fenway.)
Damningly, Richards hasn’t thrown a single pitch this season while possessing a lead. He's sporting an ERA of 6.48.
Armed with strong velocity and a nasty spin rate, Richards is the quintessential modern pitcher in many respects — and that’s not necessarily a positive. He struggles to command the strike zone and works at an excruciating pace. Wednesday’s game took nearly four hours to complete, though it did include a 30-minute rain delay.
If Richards is going to plod on the mound, he would be wise to keep warm. Can somebody find him a jacket for $10 million?
