Richard faced two batters Tuesday against the Phillies and couldn't retire either one, giving up a single and an intentional walk.

EDGE Analysis

That's two appearances in a row in which Richard failed to get an out, and the appearance before that one wasn't good either. In that three-game stretch, covering 0.2 innings, he's given up seven hits, a walk, a hit batter, and four runs. He has an 8.00 ERA and 2.33 WHIP in 17 appearances this season. It could be close to the end for the 32-year-old left-hander.

Richard gave up three hits and two runs without recording an out Tuesday against the Dodgers.

EDGE Analysis

Richard came into a 0-0 game in the eighth inning and gave up three straight singles to take the loss. He's been terrible this season, giving up 11 runs (eight earned) and 16 hits in just nine innings. Though Richard was valuable in the postseason last year, his days may be numbered in Chicago this season.

Richard recorded the final out of Wednesday's game against Milwaukee in the 12th inning for his first career save.

EDGE Analysis

Once a mediocre starter, the veteran lefty is little more than a LOOGY for the Cubs, and not a particularly effective one. Left-handed hitters have actually gone 4-for-11 (.364) to open the year against him, but he did get Kirk Niewenhuis on a grounder to end this game. Nonetheless, Richard retains nearly zero fantasy relevance.

Richard gave up two runs in one-third of an inning against the Rockies on Friday.

EDGE Analysis

Richard has only made two appearances this season, but it's hard to tell much about the pitching usage of the Cubs' bullpen with the team involved in so many lopsided games in the early going. He'll probably be used more as a garbage-time pitcher in 2016, but he may be called upon to get key outs as the season goes along.

Richard made an appearance for the second day in a row Saturday, giving up two hits in a scoreless inning.

EDGE Analysis

Richard gave up five runs and took the loss Friday, but the Cubs wanted to see him back on the mound on back-to-back days. He's likely to make the team as the top lefty reliever on the staff.

With Rex Brothers getting released Thursday, Richard's chances of making the team improved.

EDGE Analysis

Travis Wood is probably still ahead of Richard on the depth chart, but Richard and Brothers were vying for a shot as the second lefty in the pen. The only other lefty relievers on the Cubs' 40-man roster are Eric Jokisch and C.J. Riefenhauser.

Richard will contend for the fifth spot in the Cubs' rotation this season, but he's more of a fallback choice than a legitimate candidate, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Kyle Hendricks and Adam Warren are ahead of Richard on the depth chart, and both would be much better suited to taking the ball every fifth day for a contender. Still, Richard's versatility could make him a valuable part of the team as an inning-eating reliever and occasional spot starter.

Richard signed a one-year contract with the Cubs on Wednesday, avoiding arbitration, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Four months ago Richard was designated for assignment by the Cubs, but he returned to post 2.96 ERA over the final two months of the regular season, then made six scoreless appearances during the team's playoff run. Now under contract through 2016, Richard will likely open the year as a lefty specialist out of the bullpen.

Richard (4-2) picked up the victory in a 9-6 win over the Pirates on Thursday despite surrendering four hits and two earned runs in 3.1 innings.

EDGE Analysis

It's been an up-and-down month for the veteran reliever, with a little bit of everything mixed in over six appearances. Two games where he retired the only batter he faced are sandwiched between two others where Richard was unable to record an out. Additionally, over his most recent two trips to the mound, including Thursday, Richard has thrown a combined 90 pitches. The 32-year-old opened with a smooth and scoreless fifth Thursday before giving up two hits in the sixth and three in the seventh, including two ground-rule doubles. Although his performance was somewhat shaky, Richard has not surrendered a home run in 11 consecutive appearances and has only yielded a total of three over 39 innings pitched on the season.

Richard is one of the candidates to start in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Manager Joe Maddon has called for Sunday as a "staff day," with Richard, Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill, and Carl Edwards all possibilities to pitch in the second game of the doubleheader. Dan Haren will start the opener.