Richards will begin the season on the 10-day injured list due to a blister on his pitching hand, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

The injury isn't expected to require more than a minimum-length absence. The transaction can be backdated to three days before the start of the regular season, leaving Richards eligible to return April 14.

Richards will serve as a multi-inning relief pitcher for Texas, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Relief was Richards' presumed role after the Rangers signed him last week, but his history has a starter left the door open for that role. Manager Chris Woodward put an end to that speculation Sunday. "He's a multi-inning guy," Woodward said. "Definitely a reliever. One thing we didn't want to do and he didn't want to do is kind of go back and forth -- starter, reliever, starter, reliever through the season. He just wants to be strictly one way and then obviously our need was really in the relief role." The right-hander performed in both roles for Boston last season, but he thrived as a reliever, posting a 3.42 ERA in 18 appearances while allowing just one home run over 26.1 innings.

Richards agreed to a contract with the Rangers on Thursday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Richards spent the 2021 season with Boston, but he was demoted to the bullpen after posting a 5.22 ERA across 110.1 innings as a starter. Preliminarily, Grant reports that Richards is expected to serve as a multi-inning reliever in Texas, though it's also possible that he shifts into the rotation given the team's lack of proven starters. Richards posted a respectable 4.03 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across 51.1 frames in the shortened 2020 season, so his last productive campaign is not distant.

The Red Sox declined Richards' $10 million team option for 2022, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

They will buy him out for $1.5 million, and he will become a free agent. The 33-year-old righty logged a 4.87 ERA in 136.2 innings and has not posted an ERA under 4.00 since 2018.

Manager Alex Cora said Saturday that Richards (hamstring) hasn't resumed throwing, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

EDGE Analysis

Richards is eligible to return for the World Series after he was removed from Boston's ALDS roster with a hamstring injury. However, whether he's medically cleared to pitch remains to be seen. If the Red Sox advance to the World Series, Game 1 is scheduled for Oct. 26.

Richards (hamstring) remains off the roster for the ALCS, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

EDGE Analysis

Richards was ineligible to return after being removed from the Red Sox's ALDS roster with a strained left hamstring. He'll be allowed to return for the World Series if his teammates advance without him, but whether or not he'll be healthy enough to do so is not yet clear.

Richards has been removed from Boston's ALDS roster due to a left hamstring strain.

EDGE Analysis

Richards tossed a third of an inning in Thursday's Game 1 loss but apparently sustained a hamstring injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the series. Right-hander Matt Barnes will take his place on the ALDS roster. Richards will be ineligible to appear in the ALCS if the Red Sox advance but will be eligible to return if Boston makes it to the World Series.

Richards (7-8) was tagged with the loss in relief Sunday against the Yankees after allowing two runs on one hit and two walks across 1.1 innings, fanning one.

EDGE Analysis

Richards entered the game in the seventh inning and while he tossed a scoreless frame, the wheels came off in the eighth -- he allowed back-to-back walks to Gio Urshela and DJ LeMahieu, and a double from Anthony Rizzo gave the Yankees runners on second and third with one out. Richards departed the game afterwards, but both came around to score on a two-RBI double from Aaron Judge and that would give the Yankees a lead they'd never relinquish the rest of the way. Richards has now given up runs in back-to-back outings, but he still owns a 2.77 ERA across nine appearances this month (13 innings).

Richards struck out one batter in a perfect ninth inning and earned a save over the Orioles on Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

Richards needed just eight pitches to quickly roll through the Orioles and finish off the 8-6 victory. Since being moved to the bullpen, the 33-year-old righty has given up just two earned runs through 20.2 innings (0.87 ERA) with a 25:8 K:BB. He lowered his season ERA to 4.53 through 131 frames.

Richards allowed one hit and one walk while striking out four over three innings to record the save in Thursday's 4-0 win over the Rays.

EDGE Analysis

Richards picked up his second save since moving to the bullpen mid-August. He's allowed just one run on eight hits and four walks while striking out 16 over 13.1 relief innings. Boston has been pummeled by COVID-19, including three members of its bullpen, so having Richards embrace the move from starter to reliever has been helpful while the team weathers the outbreak and a second-half slide that dropped it from first to third, eight games behind, in the AL East. The Red Sox still hold a two-game lead for the second wild-card spot.