The Atlanta Braves have claimed Dustin Richardson, a 27-year old left-handed relief pitcher, off waivers from the Florida Marlins. The club has been looking for left-handed relief depth for the past month or so as Eric O'Flaherty continues his battle with back issues, and Richardson is a good fit. You may recall O'Flaherty was a waiver claim as well, so perhaps the Braves are looking to get lucky once again.
↵Richardson, who stands at 6'6 and 220lbs, was originally a fifth round pick by the Boston Red Sox. He throws hard and recorded 35 strikeouts in 32 innings while pitching for Triple-A New Orleans. He does allow a few baserunners as his 1.59 WHIP would indicate and he'll need to improve his control on the mound if he hopes to stick in the Major Leagues.
↵This is a solid acquisition for the Braves and they've been looking for a cheap, left-handed reliever for quite a while now. Richardson will have a chance to prove himself in Gwinnett and could see a promotion to Atlanta if he pitches well and/or an injury should arise for O'Flaherty, Sherrill or Venters.
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