Dustin A. Richardson (born January 9, 1984) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

for the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...

of the

Intercounty Baseball League The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) is a Canadian baseball league, comprising teams of college players and others from North America and beyond. The teams are located in Southern Ontario. The league was formed in 1919 and has enjoyed much succ ...

(IBL). He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

Career

Amateur career

Richardson attended Newton High School in

Newton, Kansas Newton is a city in and the county seat of Harvey County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the city was 18,602. Newton is located north of Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. The city of North ...

, and then went to

Cowley County Community College Cowley College is a public community college in Arkansas City, Kansas. It also operates locations in nearby Wellington, Winfield, Mulvane, and Wichita. In addition to an online presence the college offers on-site courses at nine area high sch ...

and

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...

Boston Red Sox

Richardson was drafted in the fifth round, with the 163rd overall selection, of the 2006 Major League Baseball draft by the

. He made his professional debut for the Low-A

Lowell Spinners The Lowell Spinners were a baseball team based in Lowell, Massachusetts. From 1996 to 2020, they were members of Minor League Baseball's New York–Penn League (NYPL) as the Class A Short Season affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. With Major Leagu ...

that year. Richardson spent the majority of the

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

season on the roster of the Double-A

Portland Sea Dogs The Portland Sea Dogs are a Minor League Baseball team based in Portland, Maine, playing in the Eastern League (1938–present), Eastern League. Established in 1994, the Sea Dogs are the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red ...

of the Eastern League, and was invited to his first Major League

spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

. Richardson made his MLB debut with innings of scoreless relief against the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

on September 28, 2009. He pitched in three games total games during his rookie campaign in 2009. Richardson made 26 appearances for Boston during the 2010 season, recording a 4.15 ERA with 12 strikeouts across 13 innings of work.

Florida Marlins

On November 12, 2010, Richardson was traded to the

Florida Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park. The ...

in exchange for Andrew Miller. He appeared in 23 games for the Triple–A

New Orleans Zephyrs New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz * New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** New (Paul McCartney song), "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * New (EP), ''New'' (EP), ...

, logging a 3-1 record and 3.66 ERA with 35 strikeouts. Richardson was designated for assignment by the Marlins on June 17, 2011.

Atlanta Braves

On June 22, 2011, Richardson was claimed off waivers by 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 (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...

. He was subsequently assigned to the Triple-A

Gwinnett Braves 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 Lawrencevi ...

, where he had a 6.00 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 23 games. On September 1, Richardson was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett. He was released by the Braves organization on December 16. On January 25, 2012, Major League Baseball announced that, effective upon his signing by a major league team, Richardson would be suspended for 50 games for violating MLB's drug policy, having tested positive for amphetamine,

Letrozole Letrozole, sold under the brand name Femara among others, is an aromatase inhibitor medication that is used in the treatment of breast cancer for post-menopausal women. It was patented in 1986 and approved for medical use in 1996. In 2021, ...

Methandienone Metandienone, also known as methandienone or methandrostenolone and sold under the brand name Dianabol (D-Bol) among others, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) medication which is mostly no longer prescribed. It is also used non-medically ...

Metenolone Metenolone, or methenolone, is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) which is used in the form of esters such as metenolone acetate (brand name Primobolan, Nibal) and metenolone enanthate (brand name Primobolan Depot, Nibal Injection). Meten ...

, and

Trenbolone Trenbolone is an androgen and anabolic steroid (AAS) of the nandrolone group which itself was never marketed. Trenbolone ester prodrugs, including trenbolone acetate (brand names Finajet, Finaplix, others) and trenbolone hexahydrobenzylcarbonat ...

Sugar Land Skeeters

On June 8, 2012, Richardson signed with the

Sugar Land Skeeters The Sugar Land Space Cowboys are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros Major League Baseball club. They are located in Sugar Land, Texas, part of the G ...

of the

Atlantic League of Professional Baseball The Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB) is a professional independent baseball league in the United States. It is an official MLB Partner League based in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, and the headquarters are l ...

. In 17 games (2 starts) for the Skeeters, he recorded a 3.77 ERA with 31 strikeouts across 31 innings of work. On March 15, 2013, Richardson re-signed with the Skeeters. In 6 games (1 start) for Sugar Land, he posted a 1.04 ERA with 5 strikeouts across innings pitched.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

On June 15, 2013, Richardson signed a minor league contract with the

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...

. He was assigned to the Triple-A

Salt Lake Bees The Salt Lake Bees are a Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team that plays in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. Based in South Jordan, Utah, the team plays its home games at The Ballpark at Am ...

, and struggled to a 6.47 ERA with 50 strikeouts over 20 games. Richardson elected free agency on November 4. On May 4, 2014, Richardson re-signed with the Angels organization on a minor league contract. He returned to Salt Lake, and posted a 7.69 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 36 games.

Los Angeles Dodgers

On February 18, 2015, Richardson signed a minor league contract with the

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

. He pitched in 14 games in 2015 (with four starts) combined for the Double–A

Tulsa Drillers The Tulsa Drillers are a minor league baseball team based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club. Stadium The Drillers play at ONEOK Field (pronounc ...

and Triple–A

Oklahoma City Dodgers The Oklahoma City Comets are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They are located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and play their ho ...

and was 2–0 with a 2.08 ERA and 25 strikeouts. He elected free agency on November 6. On November 10, 2015, Richardson re-signed with the Dodgers on a new minor league contract. In 8 games split between Tulsa and Oklahoma City, he struggled to a 6.48 ERA with 12 strikeouts across innings pitched. Richardson was released by the Dodgers organization on May 10, 2016.

Long Island Ducks

On June 15, 2016, Richardson signed with the

Long Island Ducks The Long Island Ducks are an American professional minor league baseball team based on Long Island in Central Islip, New York. The Ducks compete in the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB), an independent "par ...

of the

. In 13 games (4 starts) for Long Island, he registered a 1-3 record and 3.51 ERA with 24 strikeouts over innings of work.

Sugar Land Skeeters (second stint)

On April 13, 2017, Richardson signed with the

of the

. In 48 appearances for the Skeeters, he compiled a 1-4 record and 5.02 ERA with 62 strikeouts and 4 saves across 43 innings pitched. Richardson was released by Sugar Land on September 4.

Long Island Ducks (second stint)

On September 8, 2017, Richardson signed with the

of the

. In 6 appearances for the Ducks, he posted a 1-0 record and 4.15 ERA with 8 strikeouts across innings pitched. Richardson became a free agent after the season.

York Revolution

On August 20, 2018, Richardson signed with the

York Revolution The York Revolution is an American professional minor-league baseball team based in York, Pennsylvania. It is a member of the North Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent "partner league" of Major League Basebal ...

of the

. In 13 appearances for York, he recorded a 2.87 ERA with 27 strikeouts and 4 saves across innings of relief. Richardson re-signed with the team for the 2019 season. In 2 starts for the Revolution, he posted an 0-1 record and 4.50 ERA with 9 strikeouts over 8 innings of work. Richardson became a free agent following the season.

Toronto Maple Leafs

On July 4, 2023, Richardson signed with the

of the

(IBL). In 7 appearances for the club, he struggled to a 7.83 ERA with 20 strikeouts across innings of work. On April 21, 2024, Richardson re–signed with the Maple Leafs. He made 8 scoreless appearances for Toronto, striking out 14 batters with 2 saves across innings pitched. On February 7, 2025, Richardson again re-signed with the Maple Leafs.

Personal

As part of the television show '' Knight School'', Richardson tried out for the

Texas Tech Red Raiders men's basketball The Texas Tech Red Raiders basketball team represents Texas Tech University in basketball. Texas Tech competes in NCAA Division I and has been a charter member of the Big 12 Conference since its first season in 1996. The team previously competed ...

team.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richardson, Dustin 1984 births Living people People from Newton, Kansas Boston Red Sox players Major League Baseball pitchers Baseball players from Kansas Lowell Spinners players Lancaster JetHawks players Greenville Drive players Portland Sea Dogs players North Shore Honu players Navegantes del Magallanes players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Pawtucket Red Sox players Mesa Solar Sox players New Orleans Zephyrs players Gwinnett Braves players Sugar Land Skeeters players Águilas Cibaeñas players American expatriate baseball players in the Dominican Republic Cowley Tigers baseball players Texas Tech Red Raiders baseball players Salt Lake Bees players Tulsa Drillers players Oklahoma City Dodgers players Long Island Ducks players York Revolution players Rochester Honkers players American sportspeople in doping cases Doping cases in baseball American expatriate baseball players in Canada