Well-traveled right-hander Trevor Richards joined the White Sox before their series opener Friday against the Mariners at Rate Field.
Richards, who turns 33 next week, is in his ninth major-league season and entered play Friday with a 24-28 record and 4.52 ERA in 297 games with eight teams. The Sox acquired him Tuesday from the Phillies for cash, then optioned struggling right-hander Jordan Leasure to Triple-A Charlotte.
Richards, a native of downstate Aviston, started the season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley before the Phillies called him up April 30. He pitched in two games for them, allowing one run and four hits in 4⅓ innings before being dealt to the Sox.
Richards attributed a good start in the minors this season to renewed success with his changeup.
‘‘It ultimately comes down to the changeup for me,’’ he said. ‘‘For me, that’s what I’ve been my whole career. So for me, [it’s] just getting that back in the zone, getting guys in better counts where they’ve gotta bite on it one way or another.’’
Richards began his major-league career with the Marlins in 2018 and started 48 of the 55 games in which he appeared in his first two seasons with them and the Rays.
‘‘Can still go multiples [innings],’’ Richards said. ‘‘It just depends.’’
In another bullpen move, the Sox recalled left-hander Tyler Schweitzer from Charlotte and designated right-hander Osvaldo Bido for assignment.
Leasure needs to work
Leasure headed to Charlotte after going 2-1 with a 6.06 ERA in 16 games this season, his third in the majors.
He didn’t allow a baserunner in a pair of one-inning outings on the Sox’ 3-3 trip to San Diego and Anaheim, but he had been hit hard in four or five previous appearances, allowing eight runs (seven earned) and six hits — including three home runs — and walking four in a four-inning stretch.
General manager Chris Getz said Leasure needs to work on a couple of things, including being more consistent with his slider — ‘‘both the command of it and the shape of it’’ — as well as his fastball attack.
‘‘He’s become very reliant on fastballs up,’’ Getz said. ‘‘It’s important for him to still drive that fastball down to keep [batters] honest.’’
Teel reveal?
Catcher Kyle Teel will resume running the bases during workouts this weekend as he continues to rehab a Grade 2 strain of his right hamstring that has sidelined him since March 10 at the World Baseball Classic.
Getz hinted this might be a final hurdle for Teel before he goes on a minor-league rehab assignment.
‘‘Now it’s testing them on the bases and hoping,’’ Getz said. ‘‘And assuming that goes well, we’ll send him on his way to a rehab. So these next couple of days are important ones.’’
Teel hit .273 with eight homers and 35 RBI and walked 37 times in 78 games with the Sox last season. He reportedly was expected to go on a rehab assignment around April 20 but suffered a setback.
Smith update
Demoted Opening Day starter Shane Smith’s latest setback, a strained rotator cuff in his right (pitching) shoulder, will sideline him for a couple of weeks at Charlotte. But it’s something the team ‘‘doesn’t view as a very serious flare-up,’’ Getz said.
Smith had been making progress with his mechanics, Getz said two weeks ago.
‘‘It’s just something that is there, and we want to get it calmed down for a couple of weeks and get him back,’’ Getz said. ‘‘He had been making strides and really taken to the assignment well.’’
