LHP Clayton Richard was designated for assignment on Tuesday to make room on the Cubs' roster for LHP Aroldis Chapman. In 25 relief appearances this season, Richard was 0-1 with a save and a 6.43 ERA over 14 innings.

LHP Clayton Richard was activated off the 15-day disabled list on Friday (blister on left middle finger). He made four rehab starts, going 0-1 with a 2.13 ERA between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. In the majors this season, Richard has gone 0-1 with one save and a 7.30 ERA in 22 relief outings for the Cubs.

LHP Clayton Richard (blister on left middle finger) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, throwing one scoreless inning. He struck out two without allowing a hit or a walk.

LHP Clayton Richard was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a blister on his left middle finger.

LHP Clayton Richard was placed on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday with a blister on his left middle finger. Richard, 32, was 0-1 with one save and a 7.30 ERA in 22 relief outings for the Cubs this year.

LHP Clayton Richard earned the first save of his career Wednesday, stranding the tying run at third when he struck out Kirk Nieuwenhuis in the 13th inning at Milwaukee. Richard has not allowed a run in his past five outings and has gone unsecured upon in all but two of his 11 appearances this season.

Richard (4-2) picked up the victory in a 9-6 win over the Pirates on Thursday despite surrendering four hits and two earned runs in 3.1 innings.

It's been an up-and-down month for the veteran reliever, with a little bit of everything mixed in over six appearances. Two games where he retired the only batter he faced are sandwiched between two others where Richard was unable to record an out. Additionally, over his most recent two trips to the mound, including Thursday, Richard has thrown a combined 90 pitches. The 32-year-old opened with a smooth and scoreless fifth Thursday before giving up two hits in the sixth and three in the seventh, including two ground-rule doubles. Although his performance was somewhat shaky, Richard has not surrendered a home run in 11 consecutive appearances and has only yielded a total of three over 39 innings pitched on the season.

Richard is one of the candidates to start in the second game of Sunday's doubleheader, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

Manager Joe Maddon has called for Sunday as a "staff day," with Richard, Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill, and Carl Edwards all possibilities to pitch in the second game of the doubleheader. Dan Haren will start the opener.

Richard pitched two scoreless innings and picked up the win against the White Sox on Friday.

Starter Kyle Hendricks struggled, but Richard stopped the bleeding by pitching parts of the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. He's only made six appearances for the Cubs this year - including three starts, and is 3-0 with a 3.70 ERA.

Richard was called up by the Cubs on Wednesday, Roger Mooney of CSN Chicago reports.

It's been a bit of a whirlwind week for Richard -- he was designated for assignment despite tossing six innings of one-run ball against Milwaukee on Sunday, re-signed with the club, and is now back to fill a long role out of the bullpen. Richard has posted a 4.33 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 5.5 K/9 in 794.1 career big-league innings.

Richard was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Monday, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Despite a good outing Sunday against the Brewers, Richard was bound for the minors after the Cubs traded for Dan Haren prior to last Friday's trade deadline. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, the 31-year-old hurler could again serve as the top replacement option for the club should another starter get injured.

Richard went six strong Sunday against the Brewers to pick up the win, allowing one run on five hits and no walks, striking out three.

This was a spot start for Richard, filling in until Dan Haren is ready to start for the Cubs. He was able to take advantage of a matchup versus a team that has traded away Carlos Gomez, Aramis Ramirez and Gerardo Parra in the last two weeks.

Richard was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Sunday and will receive the starting nod in the series finale versus the Brewers, MLB.com's Carrie Muskat reports.

Richard isn't expected to stick around with the Cubs beyond Sunday's outing, as the team only called him up as temporary rotation filler until Dan Haren, who was acquired Friday, is ready to assume the fifth starter's role later in the week. After spending all of 2014 in the minors, Richard hasn't been anything special in his three appearances (two starts) with the Cubs this season, sporting a 5.40 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and a 6:5 K:BB ratio over 15 innings.

Richard will start Sunday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago reports.

Richard has started two games this season for the Cubs, posting a 5.40 ERA. Teammate Dan Haren's start is getting pushed back, so Richard will make the emergency start. Richard also has a 1.600 WHIP and, on average, allows more than 11 hits per nine innings.

Richard will head to Triple-A Iowa and remain on the Cubs' 40-man roster despite being designated for assignment Wednesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago reports.

The Cubs won't be able to use him for an upcoming vacancy in the rotation Tuesday against the Rockies, which may put Dallas Beeler in the mix for a spot start as Tsuyoshi Wada was roughed up in his most recent rehab start at Triple-A Iowa.

The Cubs designated Richard for assignment Wednesday, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports.

Richard was average at best in his three starts with the big club, so the Cubs decided to remove him from the roster to open up a spot for reliever Yoervis Medina. Richard's next step will be determined after his waiver period comes to a close.

Richard allowed three runs on four hits and a walk over 5.2 innings in a no decision Monday against Cincinnati.

Richard had a short leash Monday, as he was yanked after just 70 pitches, his shortest outing of the year. Richard isn't expected to hold a rotation spot for long, as Tsuyoshi Wada is expected back soon, and Monday's outing -- with one strikeout against two home runs allowed -- likely didn't do much to insulate Richard from being bumped back to the bullpen sooner rather than later.

Richard will have his next turn in the rotation skipped, Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald reports.

Richard was a last-minute replacement for Tsuyoshi Wada (shoulder) on Saturday, and actually cashed in a respectable outing, allowing just two earned runs on eight hits over 6.1 innings. His time in the rotation will likely be short-lived, however, as Wada could return to the Cubs by next weekend if his rehab start Monday goes well. Richard will likely occupy a bullpen role until another spot start is needed, or a roster move is announced.

Richard has been acquired by the Cubs from the Pirates for cash. He will start Saturday's game against the Marlins, Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald reports.

The Cubs were scrambling for a starter to replace the injured Tsuyoshi Wada in the rotation, while the veteran left-hander was stuck at Triple-A Indianapolis for the Pirates. In nine starts this season, Richard has posted a 2.09 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 56 innings, but he's done with just 25 strikeouts against 13 walks.

The Pirates are encouraged with Richard's pitching at Triple-A, where he's posted a 3.16 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 37.1 innings, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

"This is the first time where he's been able to go in repetition in quite some time to take the ball every fifth or sixth day, so he's encouraged about that," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Fastball command's been good, his velocity's been firm." The 31-year-old lefty missed most of 2014 with thoracic outlet syndrome. He could provide the Bucs with a mid-season boost if the team decides to take Jeff Locke out of the rotation or if injuries strike.