The Boston Red Sox finally got what they've been wanting to see out of Garrett Richards on Friday.
The 32-year-old right-hander was signed to a one-year, $10 million contract during the offseason to shore up what was an abysmal starting rotation in 2020. In his first two spring starts, Richards did little to prove himself as a reliable option. He was saved by the mercy rule in his debut thenĀ allowed four runs andĀ three walks in two innings of work in his second outing.
The third time was theĀ charm.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Tomase: Cora counting on KikƩ, Marwin for more than versatility
In Friday's start, Richards tossed four scoreless innings vs. the Tampa Bay Rays and struck out seven. He allowed only one hit, though he did walk three. The ex-Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres hurler came away pleased with his progress.
āIn spring training, youāre working on stuff,ā Richards said. āIt wasnāt necessarily there at the beginning of spring training, but weāre making some big strides in between with the work me and (pitching coach Dave Bush) are doing. ...
"Right now, itās just matching up my mechanics with my timing and keeping my delivery simple. We put in some really good this week to get ready for this start, and I think itās trending in the right direction, so Iām happy with that.ā
Boston Red Sox
Find the latest Boston Red Sox news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
A productive year out of Richards would go a long way for the Red Sox in 2021. With ace Chris Sale recovering from Tommy John surgery, Richards is projected as the No. 3 starter behind Eduardo Rodriguez and Nathan Eovaldi. A lack of rotation depth last seasonĀ resulted in a last-place American League East finish and the fourth-worst record in the majors (24-36).
As for the other standouts in Friday's 8-2 victory, infielders Christian Arroyo, Michael Chavis, and Jonathan Arauz each notched home runs. Newcomer Hirokazu Sawamura made his first Sox appearance, allowing one run on oneĀ hit and threeĀ walks while striking out one in 2/3 innings.