Richard was named the Padres' Opening Day starter Friday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Richard wouldn't be the ace of many staffs, though he appears to be the best the Padres have to offer. His 4.79 ERA in 2017 obscured what was actually a fine season for the 34-year-old lefty, as he posted a quite respectable 3.76 xFIP. His career 14.9 percent strikeout rate caps his fantasy value in most leagues, but he avoids walks (6.9 percent walk rate in 2017) and generates a high number of ground balls (59.2 percent groundball rate last year). His pitch-to-contact approach should work in a pitcher-friendly park like Petco, and if his BABIP bounces back from the .351 mark he posted last year, he could be a decent late-round pickup in deep leagues.