Former Drive Hurler, Dustin Richardson, Joins Sox

Southpaw struckout 98 batters in 2007 with Greenville

September 30, 2009

The Boston Red Sox today selected left-handed pitcher Dustin Richardson to the active Major League roster from Triple-A Pawtucket. Richardson, wearing No. 54, will be active for tonight’s game against Toronto at Fenway Park. To make room on the club’s 40-man roster, outfielder Chris Carter was designated for assignment.

The announcements were made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

For Richardson, 25, it is his first career Major League stint. This season, he combined to go 2-2 with four saves and a 2.55 ERA (21 ER/74.0 IP) over 45 relief appearances between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket. He compiled a 2.70 ERA (19 ER/63.1 IP) in 38 games with Portland, earning Eastern League All-Star honors and holding opponents to a Double-A-best .186 average (42-for-226). Promoted to Pawtucket on August 21, the left-hander recorded a 1.69 ERA (2 ER/10.2 IP) and 16 strikeouts in seven games with the PawSox.

Selected by Boston in the fifth round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Richardson has compiled a 22-21 record with 6 saves and a 4.11 ERA (159 ER/348.0 IP) in 110 games (50 starts) over four seasons in the Red Sox organization, combining for 381 strikeouts compared to 160 walks.

A member of the 2007 Drive, Richardson was 5-7 with a 3.34 ERA (37 ER/99.1 IP) in 21 starts. He totaled 98 strikeouts while limiting opposing batters to a .235 average. The southpaw joins former Drive pitchers Clay Buchholz (2006), Michael Bowden (2006), Hunter Jones (2006), and Daniel Bard (2007-2008) on the Red Sox active roster, as well as outfielder Josh Reddick (2007-2008).

In his only stint with the Red Sox this season, Carter was hitless in five at-bats and drove in one run over four games from April 13-20. The 27-year-old outfielder combined to hit .261 (6-for-23) for Boston over 13 games from 2008-09, his only Major League experience. In 116 games with Pawtucket this year, he hit .294 (126-for-428) with 16 home runs and 61 RBI.

With today’s move, Boston’s active Major League roster is at 36 players.