Grading the Marlins: Miami Wins 1-of-3 Against Bucs

Trevor Richards +.327

Miami’s ace-in-the-hole has long flown under the radar. Undrafted out of Drury College, the Miami Marlins signed Trevor Richards through free agency off the Gateway Grizzlies, an independent team in the Frontier League.

Richards rapidly rose through Miami’s farm system, playing at four levels in just over one calendar year. He has a career 1.023 WHIP, a 2.52 ERA, and 211 strikeouts in 200 1/3 innings between the Batavia Muckdogs, the Greensboro Grasshoppers, the Jupiter Hammerheads, and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.

In Richards first game, he was saddled with the loss after allowing the Boston Red Sox five runs in 4 1/3 innings. He struck out five and gave up eight hits and a walk on April 2nd.

Six days later, Richards earned a no-decision against the Philadelphia Phillies. He allowed three runs on six hits and three walks in four innings.

For Richards, Saturday’s performance would see him drop his WHIP from 2.16 to 1.37 and his ERA from 8.42 to 4.70. In seven innings of work, he gave up just two hits and a walk, keeping the Pirates off the board. He got 49-of-82 pitches over the plate, earning a 74 GameScore and striking out a pair.

Ultimately, of course, the Marlins were taken down in the bottom of the ninth, but more on that later.