Lovelady was designated for assignment by the Rays on Tuesday, and he'll now officially enter free agency and look to sign with a team in need of a southpaw out of the bullpen. Across 35 major-league appearances between the Cubs and Rays in 2024, Lovelady posted a 4.46 ERA and 1.31 WHIP over 34.1 innings.
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Rays' Richard Lovelady: Removed from 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Rays designated Lovelady for assignment Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Lovelady is a roster casualty as the Rays look to clear space on Rule 5 Draft protection day. The lefty reliever holds a career 4.98 ERA and 90:36 K:BB over 99.1 innings covering parts of five big-league seasons.
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Rays' Richard Lovelady: Secures second save
Rotowire
Lovelady pitched a perfect ninth inning to pick up the save over the Guardians on Thursday.
Lovelady relieved Manuel Rodriguez to open the bottom of the ninth and managed to retire the side in order on just six pitches to lock down his second save of the campaign. It was a nice bounceback performance for the southpaw after he surrendered two runs and took the loss in his previous outing Tuesday. It also marked Lovelady's first save opportunity since Aug. 17 against the Diamondbacks, and he's now held opponents scoreless in six of his last seven relief appearances.
Lovelady didn't allow a baserunner across 1.1 scoreless innings to pick up the save Saturday against Arizona.
Manuel Rodriguez began the eighth inning with a 6-1 lead but loaded the bases with two outs. Lovelady was called in to get out of the jam and induced a groundout against lefty Corbin Carroll to end the frame. He then remained in the contest and completed a clean ninth inning to unconventionally earn his second career save. Pete Fairbanks remains the primary closer for the Rays.
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Rays' Richard Lovelady: Activated from injured list
Rotowire
The Rays activated Lovelady (forearm) from the 15-day injured list Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Lovelady has been on the sidelines since early June with a flexor strain, but he's been cleared to return after making 11 rehab appearances, the last six of which were scoreless. Hunter Bigge has been sent down in a corresponding move.
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Rays' Richard Lovelady: Rehab continuing at Triple-A
Rotowire
Lovelady's (forearm) rehab assignment was transferred to Triple-A Durham on Tuesday, Steve Carney of StPeteNine.com reports.
Lovelady made his first rehab appearance Monday with the Rays' Florida Complex League affiliate, but he yielded four runs over two-thirds of an inning before being pulled. Still, he'll be bumped up to Durham to continue his rehab from a strained left forearm.
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Rays' Richard Lovelady: Cleared for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Lovelady (forearm) was sent to the Rays' Florida Complex League affiliate Monday to begin a rehab assignment.
Lovelady has been shelved since early June with a left forearm flexor strain but has been cleared to test things out in a game setting. The left-handed reliever has posted a 7.36 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 7.1 innings with the Rays this season and appears poised for a return at the start of the second half.
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Rays' Richard Lovelady: Scheduled for bullpen session
Rotowire
Lovelady (forearm) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Thursday, Steve Carney of StPeteNine.com reports.
Lovelady was placed on the injured list June 8 due to a left forearm flexor strain. Prior to the injury, he appeared in eight games for the Rays, registering a 7.36 ERA and 1.36 WHIP across 7.1 innings. Lovelady will likely need a few bullpen sessions without any setbacks before beginning a rehab assignment.
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Rays' Richard Lovelady: Lands on IL with forearm strain
Rotowire
The Rays placed Lovelady on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to a left forearm flexor strain.
Lovelady has been with the Rays since May 18 after being traded by the Cubs. He's appeared in eight games for Tampa Bay since the trade, registering a 7.36 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over 7.1 innings. The Rays reinstated left-hander Colin Poche (back) from the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move.
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Rays' Richard Lovelady: Shipped to Tampa Bay
Rotowire
The Cubs traded Lovelady to the Rays on Saturday in exchange for Jeff Belge.
Lovelady was cast off the Cubs' 40-man roster Tuesday following the acquisition of Tyson Miller, but he will get another shot with a big-league club as he joins Tampa Bay. Lovelady hasn't found much success in the majors this season, allowing five earned runs across 5.2 innings since being selected from Triple-A in late April. Jacob Waguespack (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day IL in a corresponding move.
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Cubs' Richard Lovelady: Removed from 40-man roster
Rotowire
Lovelady was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Tuesday, Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
The Cubs needed to free up a spot on their 40-man roster for new acquisition Tyson Miller. Lovelady had allowed five runs over his last four appearances before being booted off the roster.
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Cubs' Richard Lovelady: Contract selected
Rotowire
The Cubs selected Lovelady's contract from Triple-Iowa on Sunday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
The left-hander failed to make Chicago's season-opening roster but will join the big club a month into the season. Lovelady struggled out of the bullpen at Iowa with a 5.84 ERA and 1.90 WHIP, though he did have a 20:1 K:BB across 12.1 innings.
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Cubs' Richard Lovelady: Fails to make cut
Rotowire
The Cubs reassigned Lovelady to minor-league camp Thursday.
Lovelady attended camp as a non-roster invitee after joining the Cubs on a minor-league deal over the winter. The right-hander logged a 4.63 ERA and 1.07 WHIP across 23.1 innings in 27 appearances out of Oakland's bullpen in 2023, but he fell short in his bid for a spot in the Cubs' Opening Day relief corps.
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Cubs' Richard Lovelady: Signs MiLB deal with Cubs
Rotowire
Lovelady signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Monday, Driveline Baseball reports.
Lovelady had a throwing session at Driveline on Monday and came out of it with a deal from the Cubs. The left-handed reliever missed a chunk of the 2023 season with a strained forearm, but it would appear he is now healthy. Lovelady holds a career 5.26 ERA and 64:25 K:BB over 65 innings covering parts of four major-league seasons.
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Athletics' Richard Lovelady: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Athletics outrighted Lovelady (forearm) to Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Lovelady held a 4.63 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 24:10 K:BB through 23.1 innings of relief this season with the A's before missing the entire second half because of a severe left forearm strain. The 28-year-old southpaw is officially off the 40-man roster in Oakland, though he'll remain part of the organization for the time being.
