Garrett Richards is a name most baseball fans recognize, particularly if they’ve followed MLB pitching over the last decade or so. Richards had his moments, including the ones that defined his legacy. This deep dive explores how he got there, his major league career, his life, his background, and where he is now.

Early Life and College Growth

Born on May 27, 1988, in Riverside, California, Richards excelled in high school baseball. The first of those took him to the University of Oklahoma, where he polished his mature pitching arsenal and refined his command. He caught the eye of scouts from MLB, and that was the beginning of his move up the ranks in the minors with high expectations.

Professional debut and Angels Rise

Richards was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the first round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft. He was a farm system product who made his Major League debut in 2011, and he was a hard-throwing, competitive pitcher.

Garrett Richards Angels

Richards developed a reputation as a high-upside arm during his early years in the majors. His flexibility enabled him to be used in both the starting rotation and the bullpen before becoming a full-time starter.

Best Performance and Breakout Year

It was a breakout year for Richards in 2014. Once a regular in the rotation, he fashioned one of the best seasons of any pitcher that year. His earned run average stayed below 3.00 for most of the season, and he repeatedly shut down the hardest lineups in baseball.

Garrett Richards Stats

His breakout year was cut short by a torn patellar tendon in his left knee. But even with that injury, his season that year is for many of us, a career highlight, and a yardstick against which many fans continue to judge what he could do.

📊 Garret MLB Statistics:

• Win–Loss Record: 55–50
• Earned Run Average (ERA): 3.87
• Strikeouts: 873
• Innings Pitched: 961.2
• Games Played: 222
• Games Started: 154
• Saves: 0
• WHIP (Walks + Hits per Inning): 1.34

🌟 Best Season – 2014 Highlights:

• Win–Loss Record: 13–4
• ERA: 2.61
• Strikeouts: 164
• Innings Pitched: 168.2
• WHIP: 1.04

Struggles With Injuries and Attempts to Come Back

Richards also continued to suffer from various health challenges, most notably with his other ulnar nerve but also with his pitcher’s elbow. A partially torn UCL in 2016 led to speculation about surgery. Instead, he chose to go with stem cell therapy and not a long healing process. He was given the opportunity to return to the field as a result of this decision; however, an ongoing injury restricted him in future seasons.

Teams still wanted Richard’s baseball, though, and his velocity has been among the best in the league when he pitches. His perseverance and dedication ensured that he was part of discussions about pitching, even as innings became harder to come by.

📉 Injury Timeline

Worthwhile for fans wondering what happened to him despite having a very promising career:

2014: Tore the patellar tendon (left knee), which ruined his best season.

2016: Partial UCL tear in his elbow, stem cell therapy.

New Teams and Changing Roles

Richards pitcher, signed with the San Diego Padres after leaving the Angels. He was short with the team, but certainly sweet in terms of his constant appearances on the practice field rubbing off on teammates, even if he didn’t get on the field on game days. He switched teams to the Boston Red Sox in 2021 and shifted his duties, moving from the bullpen to a spot in the rotation as his new squad set its sights on the playoffs.

Known as a team-first player, a quiet leader in the clubhouse.

• Active in the community and mentoring.
• He never appeared in an All-Star game, but he’s frequently spoken of as a “if only” pitcher had injuries not interfered.

Pitching style:

Injuries limited his innings over the years, but Richards somehow had the innings and posted career totals that were competitive, including wins and losses, a solid ERA, and a strikeout total. 

Fastball:

Sat 95–98 mph in his prime, and touched 100 mph at times.

Slider:

A hard, biting slider that was his strikeout pitch.

Sinker:

Generated a ton of ground balls, particularly good in 2014.

Curveball and Changeup:

Only rarely are they off-speed pitches.

Conclusion

Richards’ three stops in Major League Baseball are a tale of raw ability, inner strength, and reinvention. Injuries certainly defined his career trajectory, but his dominating outings and fight through pain made a lasting impression on baseball fans. Whether he ever plays again, his legacy will remain a strong one throughout the league and with fans of anyone showing that type of fire and fight.

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