Richard pitched seven innings Thursday, allowing one earned run on five hits and a walk in a loss to Texas. He struck out four in a no-decision.

EDGE Analysis

This was easily Richard's best start since his first outing of the season, and would have been a victory if not for a bullpen failure. The 33-year-old southpaw entered the game with the second highest ground ball rate in the National League (62.2%), and it certainly helped him Thursday. Richard didn't allow a single baserunner to reach scoring position until a home run by Mike Napoli to lead off the eighth inning. Still, he will need to show more consistency before being recommended for fantasy purposes.