Richard Lovelady Bio
Richard Tyler Lovelady, who is also known as “Dicky,” is an American professional baseball pitcher. He is currently playing in Major League Baseball and has spent time with several organizations since breaking into the majors. As of early 2026, Lovelady is a member of the New York Mets organization, having returned to the team after a brief detour. He previously played for the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Tampa Bay Rays, and Toronto Blue Jays before joining the Mets in mid-2025. Lovelady was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Early Life and Background
Richard Tyler Lovelady was born on July 7, 1995, and grew up in Hinesville, Georgia. He attended First Presbyterian Christian Academy, where he developed into a promising young pitcher and began drawing attention from college recruiters. After finishing high school, Lovelady continued his baseball career at East Georgia State College, a starting point that allowed him to face stronger competition than he had at the prep level.
Lovelady later transferred to Kennesaw State University, a larger program that gave him the chance to test himself against top college hitters. His performance at Kennesaw State helped him gain notice from professional scouts and put him on the path toward being drafted. The combination of high school development and two college stops shaped his approach as a pitcher before he entered the professional ranks.
Path to Professional Baseball
Lovelady’s path to professional baseball began in earnest during his time at Kennesaw State. He continued to refine his command and pitch repertoire while facing advanced hitting, which improved his draft stock. Scouts viewed him as a polished left-handed relief prospect with the kind of control that teams look for in late-inning roles. That profile is exactly what led the Kansas City Royals to select him in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB Draft.
Richard Lovelady Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
Lovelady made his professional debut with the Arizona League Royals and was promoted during the season to the Idaho Falls Chukars. Across 25 combined relief innings that first year, he posted a 2–1 record, a 1.80 ERA, and a 0.92 WHIP, an impressive start that suggested he was ready for higher levels. In 2017, he split the year between the Wilmington Blue Rocks and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, going a combined 4–2 with a 1.62 ERA in 66⅔ relief innings. Those numbers confirmed that Lovelady was moving quickly through the Royals’ minor league system.
He spent the 2018 season with the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate, and went 3–3 with a 2.47 ERA in 46 relief appearances. Working as a full-time reliever, Lovelady built the consistency and late-inning experience the Royals wanted from a future bullpen option.
Kansas City Royals Breakthrough (2019–2021)
Lovelady opened 2019 with Omaha before earning his first big league promotion on April 9, 2019. That same evening, he made his MLB debut against the Seattle Mariners, recording two strikeouts in one inning of relief. The debut was a clean introduction to the majors for a left-handed reliever the Royals had developed for several seasons.
After a brief 2020 that included only one appearance for Kansas City, Lovelady returned to the Royals bullpen in 2021 and made 20 appearances with a 3.48 ERA. His season, however, ended on September 30, 2021, when he underwent Tommy John surgery, which kept him out for the entire 2022 campaign. The Royals non-tendered him that November, only to re-sign him the next day on a minor league deal. On November 10, 2022, they added him back to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft before optioning him to Triple-A Omaha.
Atlanta Braves and Oakland Athletics (2023)
On March 30, 2023, the Royals traded Lovelady to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash considerations, and he was optioned to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. He made just four appearances for Gwinnett, allowing a 7.20 ERA with four strikeouts in five innings. On April 13, 2023, Oakland claimed him off waivers, giving him a fresh opportunity in a new organization.
With the Athletics, Lovelady appeared in 27 games and posted a 4.63 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 23⅓ innings. His season ended early when, on July 23, manager Mark Kotsay announced that Lovelady would miss the rest of 2023 with a pronator muscle strain in his left forearm. Oakland removed him from the 40-man roster in October and sent him outright to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators before he elected free agency in November.
Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays (2024)
Lovelady signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs on January 31, 2024, and reached the majors on April 28 after 10 appearances for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. His time in Chicago was brief and difficult: in seven appearances he posted a 7.94 ERA with six strikeouts across 5⅔ innings, and he was designated for assignment on May 14. Four days later, on May 18, the Cubs traded him to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Jeff Belge.
With Tampa Bay, Lovelady enjoyed his most productive big league stretch of 2024. In 28 appearances he went 3–5 with a 3.77 ERA, 20 strikeouts, and two saves over 28⅔ innings, a run that re-established him as a reliable left-handed option. On November 19, he was designated for assignment after Jake Mangum was added to the roster, and three days later the Rays non-tendered him, making him a free agent again.
Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, and New York Mets (2025)
Lovelady signed a minor league contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on January 22, 2025, and had his contract selected on March 17. In just two appearances for Toronto he struggled to an 0–1 record and a 21.60 ERA, and he was designated for assignment on March 30. After clearing waivers and rejecting an outright assignment, Lovelady signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins on April 8. With the Triple-A St. Paul Saints he went 0–1 with a 1.31 ERA, 22 strikeouts, and six saves in 19 appearances before opting out on June 18.
On June 23, 2025, Lovelady signed a one-year major league contract with the New York Mets, and on the same day he asked to be known publicly as “Dicky Lovelady” in media and other unofficial contexts, a request that drew attention online. After one appearance with the Mets, he was designated for assignment on June 25 and elected free agency two days later before re-signing with New York on June 29. Following more struggles over five additional games, he was again designated for assignment on July 18. The Mets selected his contract again on September 20, and he made two more appearances before being designated for assignment on September 25 and electing free agency on September 29. On October 23, 2025, the Mets re-signed Lovelady to a new one-year major league contract.
Early 2026 and Washington Nationals
On January 22, 2026, the Mets designated Lovelady for assignment following the acquisition of Vidal Bruján. One week later, on January 29, the Washington Nationals claimed him off waivers, but he was designated for assignment by Washington on March 10. The Mets then claimed Lovelady back off waivers on March 14. In six appearances for New York he went 1–1 with a 3.68 ERA, six strikeouts, and 7⅓ innings, before being designated for assignment on April 11 following the promotion of Craig Kimbrel. On April 16, 2026, Lovelady was traded to the Washington Nationals in exchange for cash.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lovelady’s MLB debut on April 9, 2019, against the Seattle Mariners, in which he recorded two strikeouts in one inning, remains a defining early milestone. His Tommy John surgery on September 30, 2021, wiped out his entire 2022 season and reshaped the next phase of his career. In 2025, his request to be known publicly as “Dicky Lovelady” turned him into a popular figure online and led to a publicized offer from the adult website CamSoda.
Richard Lovelady Family
Family Background and Personal Life
Lovelady and his wife, Maddie, married in 2019. The couple welcomed a son in 2023. The family has been a steady presence throughout Lovelady’s many transitions between organizations since 2021.
2025 Season Performance
Lovelady’s 2025 season was defined by movement between organizations. After a very brief stint with the Toronto Blue Jays and a productive Triple-A run with the Minnesota Twins, he signed with the New York Mets in June. With the Mets he appeared in several stints throughout the summer and fall, recording mixed results and being designated for assignment multiple times before the team kept bringing him back.
Following the 2025 season, the Mets re-signed Lovelady to a one-year major league contract on October 23, signaling that the club still viewed him as part of their bullpen plans. Across the year, his combination of opt-outs, waivers, and quick re-signings reflected both the volatility of his role and his ability to land opportunities. Looking ahead, Lovelady heads into the next chapter of his career as a left-handed relief option whose 2025 experience with the Mets set the stage for what comes next.
