The Chicago Cubs made a minor trade today sending cash considerations to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for LHP Clayton Richard, according to Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald. Stephen Nesbitt first reported that Richard had cleared out his locker. Richard will start Saturday for the Cubs against the Miami Marlins. Richards signed with the Pirates on a minor league deal back in December.
Richard, 31, was 4-2 with a 2.09 ERA in 56 innings pitched that spanned over nine starts for the Pirates Triple-A affiliate, he also started one game for the Pirates Class-A affiliate giving up four hits while striking out five over six innings pitched. He had an "upward mobility" clause from his contract which gave the Pirates a three-day period to offer him to other clubs or place him on the active roster before he can be kept on the Triple-A roster.
His last appearance in major league baseball came in 2013 when he posted a 7.01 ERA (4.66 xFIP) in 12 games (11 starts) for the San Diego Padres giving up 13 home runs in 52.1 innings pitched. His best year was in 2010 when he posted a 3.75 ERA in 33 starts and 201.2 innings for a Padres team that nearly won the division.
Overall in his career Richard has pitched to a 46-47 record with a 4.33 ERA in 147 games (129 starts) for the Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres. In his 773.1 innings pitched he has struck out just 480 while walking 263. Despite not being a strikeout pitcher his control also isn't that great with a 3.1 career BB/9 compared to just a 5.6 K/9.
Richard typically throws in the lower 90s with a two-seam fastball that averages 90.2 MPH that he compliments with a slider and curveball, while using a change-up as his primary second pitch.