When Clayton Richard signed a two-year deal this past offseason, his role was to be that of a mentor to a very young pitching staff. With the fall of Luis Perdomo and Dinelson Lamet and the lack of a front of the rotation free agent signing, Richard is, yet again, the de-facto ace of the San Diego Padres pitching staff.
His last three starts have been masterful, thanks to another small adjustment.
Richard had to reinvent himself as a ground ball pitcher after undergoing Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery in February 2014.