Richard Tyler Lovelady (born July 7, 1995) is an American

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Mod ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

for the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. Since its inception ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

(MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the

Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team was founded as an expans ...

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (often referred to as the A's) are an American professional baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The te ...

, and

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...

. Lovelady was selected by the Royals in the 10th round of the

2016 MLB draft The 2016 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft began on June 9, 2016, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order is the reverse order of the 2015 MLB season standings. In addition, compensation picks will be d ...

Amateur career

Lovelady attended First Presbyterian Christian Academy in

Hinesville, Georgia Hinesville is a city in Liberty County, Georgia, Liberty County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States, located on the Atlantic coastal plain. The population was 33,437 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census and an estimated 33,273 ...

and played

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. In comparison to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a smaller role in developing professional pl ...

East Georgia State College East Georgia State College (EGSC) is a public college in Swainsboro, Georgia. It is part of the University System of Georgia. As an access institution, the college serves a predominantly rural area of 24 counties in Georgia's coastal plain from i ...

and

Kennesaw State University Kennesaw State University (KSU) is a public research university located in the state of Georgia with two different campuses in the Atlanta metropolitan area, one in Kennesaw and the other in Marietta on a combined of land. The school was fou ...

. He was drafted by the

in the 10th round of the

2016 Major League Baseball draft The 2016 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft began on June 9, 2016, to assign amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The draft order is the reverse order of the 2015 MLB season standings. In addition, compensation picks will be d ...

Professional career

Kansas City Royals

Lovelady made his professional debut with the

Arizona League Royals The Arizona Complex League Royals are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, competing in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona. The team is compos ...

and was promoted to the

Idaho Falls Chukars The Idaho Falls Chukars are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and play their home games at Melaleuca ...

during the season; in 25 total relief innings pitched between both teams, he posted a 2-1 record, 1.80 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP In 2017, he spent time with both the

Wilmington Blue Rocks The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team of the South Atlantic League and the High-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Wilmington, Delaware, and play their home games at Daniel S. Frawley Stadium. ...

and the

Northwest Arkansas Naturals The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are a Minor League Baseball team based in Springdale, Arkansas, Springdale, Arkansas. The team is a member of the Texas League, and serves as the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. The ...

, pitching to a combined 4-2 record and 1.62 ERA in 66.2 total relief innings pitched. Lovelady spent 2018 with the

Omaha Storm Chasers The Omaha Storm Chasers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals. They are located in Papillion, Nebraska, a suburb southwest of Omaha, and play their home games at Wer ...

, going 3-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 46 relief appearances. In 2019, he opened the season with Omaha. Lovelady was promoted to the majors for the first time on April 9, 2019. He made his major league debut against the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West division. The team joined the American League ...

that evening, recording two strikeouts in one inning of relief. Lovelady made 1 appearance for the Royals in 2020, giving up one run over one inning pitched. In 20 appearances for the Royals in 2021, Lovelady recorded a 3.48 ERA in 20 appearances for the team. On September 30, 2021, Lovelady underwent

Tommy John surgery Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, colloquially known as Tommy John surgery (TJS), is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's bo ...

, which wiped him out for the entire 2022 season. On November 30, 2021, Lovelady was non-tendered by the Royals, making him a free agent. He was re-signed by the Royals the next day on a minor league contract. On November 10, 2022, Lovelady was selected to the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. He was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to begin the 2023 season.

Atlanta Braves

On March 30, 2023, Lovelady was traded to the

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...

in exchange for cash and was optioned to the Triple-A

Gwinnett Stripers The Gwinnett Stripers are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. They play their home games at Coolray Field in unincorporated Gwinnett County, Georgia (with a Lawrencevil ...

. He appeared in 4 games for Gwinnett, recording a 7.20 ERA with 4 strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched.

Oakland Athletics

On April 13, 2023, Lovelady was claimed off waivers by the

. In 27 games for Oakland, he posted a 4.63 ERA with 24 strikeouts in innings pitched. On July 23, manager

Mark Kotsay Mark Steven Kotsay (born December 2, 1975) is an American professional baseball manager and former outfielder. He is the manager for the Oakland Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player, Kotsay appeared in 1,914 MLB games for the San ...

announced that Lovelady would not return in 2023 after suffering a strain of the pronator muscle in his left forearm. On October 4, Lovelady was removed from the 40–man roster and sent outright to the Triple–A

Las Vegas Aviators The Las Vegas Aviators, formerly known as the Las Vegas 51s and Las Vegas Stars, are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics. They are located in Summerlin South, Nevad ...

. He elected free agency following the season on November 6.

Chicago Cubs

On January 31, 2024, Lovelady signed a minor league contract with the

. After 10 appearances for the Triple–A

Iowa Cubs The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. They are located in Des Moines, Iowa, and are named for their Major League Baseball (MLB) affiliate. The ...

, Lovelady was added to Chicago's major league roster on April 28. In 7 appearances for Chicago, he struggled to a 7.94 ERA with 6 strikeouts across innings pitched. On May 14, Lovelady was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...

by the Cubs.

Tampa Bay Rays

On May 18, 2024, the Cubs traded Lovelady to the

in exchange for Jeff Belge.

Personal life

Lovelady and his wife, Maddie, married in 2019.

References

External links

Kennesaw State Owls bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lovelady, Richard 1995 births Living people Arizona League Royals players Baseball players from Georgia (U.S. state) Chicago Cubs players Gwinnett Stripers players Idaho Falls Chukars players Iowa Cubs players Kansas City Royals players Kennesaw State Owls baseball players Major League Baseball pitchers Northwest Arkansas Naturals players Oakland Athletics players Omaha Storm Chasers players People from Hinesville, Georgia Stockton Ports players Tampa Bay Rays players Wilmington Blue Rocks players