Veteran right-hander Trevor Richards brings a unique arm slot and multi-inning bullpen experience to the White Sox after a trade with the Phillies.
The Chicago White Sox have made a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, acquiring right-handed pitcher Trevor Richards in exchange for cash considerations.
In order to make room for Richards on the 40-man roster, the White Sox have transferred right-handed pitcher Drew Thorpe to the 60-day injured list as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery.
Richards, who is closing in on his 33rd birthday, pitched in two games for the Phillies this season, throwing 4.1 innings out of the bullpen with a 2.08 ERA and five strikeouts. He signed a minor league contract with Philadelphia back in December and did not make the big league club out of spring training, but earned a call-up after posting a 1.93 ERA through his first 14 innings in Triple-A.
Richards first made his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins as a starting pitcher back in April of 2018. He had his moments as a starter in Miami, but ultimately didn't last long in that role before being moved to the bullpen by the Tampa Bay Rays after being involved in a trade that also included Nick Anderson, Jesús Sánchez, and Ryne Stanek.
That's not the only notable trade Richards has been a part of during his career.
In May of 2021, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers alongside Willy Adames. Then, in July of 2021, he was sent to the Toronto Blue Jays along with Bowden Francis in exchange for first baseman Rowdy Téllez.
Richards went on to make 195 appearances in a Blue Jays uniform from 2021 to 2024 before bouncing around and having brief stints with the Twins, Cubs, Royals, and Diamondbacks, though he never made a big league appearance for the Cubs.
What's different in 2026? Richards is using only a two-pitch mix. He no longer throws a slider and instead relies exclusively on a four-seam fastball and a changeup. Perhaps the most unique thing about his delivery is his 55-degree arm angle, which is one of the steepest in baseball. It's also three degrees higher than the arm angle he used over the last four seasons. That release point is much more comparable to the arm angle he had in 2021, when he went 7-2 with a 3.50 ERA in 53 appearances across three different bullpens.
When you see the White Sox acquire a pitcher that throws his changeup 30 percent of the time, you of course have to assume this is a guy that Brian Bannister specifically sees potential in.
While Richards is on the 40-man roster, the White Sox have not yet officially activated him. A corresponding roster move will be made once they do, but I would expect the White Sox to use Richards in a multi-inning relief role, likely taking the place of someone like Osvaldo Bido in the bullpen, who has an 8.53 ERA since joining the White Sox.
Considering they gave up essentially nothing to acquire him, this is a worthwhile move for the White Sox. If they can get meaningful innings and value out of a veteran arm, it's worth taking the chance. The White Sox are competitive right now, they can't have bullpen issues costing them games.