The Royals have traded left-hander Richard Lovelady to the Braves in exchange for cash, per announcements from both teams. Lovelady, who is on the 40-man roster, has been optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Lovelady, 27, hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2021 due to Tommy John surgery. He made it back to the mound for four minor league innings in 2022 and posted a 9-to-1 K/BB ratio during that time. He was terrific this spring, tossing eight shutout innings with only five hits allowed, no walks and 10 punchouts during Cactus League play.
Prior to undergoing surgery in 2021, he’d given Kansas City 20 2/3 innings of 3.48 ERA ball with a 27.4% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate and excellent 56.6% ground-ball rate. In 110 2/3 career innings at the Triple-A level, Lovelady has a 2.44 ERA, 26.1% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate. He’s in his final minor league option year and can be controlled through at least the 2027 season, as he currently has one year and 26 days of Major League service time.
Not the first time cash has been involved in a Dick Lovelady deal.
Is Dick Lovelady one of the greatest baseball names of all time?
It’s a contender.
Could be
Love be a lady tonight…
Not the first time rich men traded cash for Lovelady.
Weird they didn’t hold onto him? The royals tanking? Only cash as a return? His numbers are good, better than alot of the players on the royals
Yep, I don’t get them. Its like they’re TRYING to suck.
Royals handling of Lovelady is inexplicable.. Why on earth would they give him away?
They just traded Beaty to the giants for cash too? Someone in ownership late on some payments or something?
Numbers crunch. They needed to open up 40 man roster spots for for Jackie Bradley Jr., Matt Duffy, and Franmil Reyes
I did see someone say that TV Color Guy Guthrie said his fastball was only in the 80’s during Spring Training..
Kind of a sneaky nice pickup for only cash. Throws a lot of strikes historically, which the article used a small sample size to elude to. It will be interesting to see if he can stay healthy and provide some value.
Allude, not elude
More jokes about his name please.
Maybe he’s a PTBNL as part of the Drew Waters deal?
Nothing the Royals do matters
You’d think they could have at least found someone willing to give up a low level prospect for him. Seems better than just a cash transaction.
Seriously, you couldn’t get a player for him?
The Braves are giving the Royals cash for some dick
I have no idea why I laughed so hard at this…. Lmao.
Didn’t see him this spring but before injury he was interesting. I like the add.
Come on Braves. Give him #69
This trade is reDickulous