Richards (4-5) allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits, four walks and a hit batsman over 1.2 innings, taking the loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

Richards had little control in his first start since MLB announced it would be cracking down on the use of foreign substances by pitchers. That seemed to be a factor for the right-hander, who voiced his concerns to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com after the announcement last week. Following Wednesday's loss, he told Cotillo the crackdown "has changed pretty much everything for me. I feel like I need to be a different pitcher than I have been the last nine-and-a-half years." Richards is undergoing a transition in light of the crackdown and must do so on the fly. It's unclear if the adjustment will cost Richards his starting job, but he's next scheduled to pitch Monday at home against Kansas City.