Richard Sidney Bleier (born April 16, 1987) is an American former professional baseball pitcher.

He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Miami Marlins, and Boston Red Sox.

Bleier signed with the Washington Nationals organization before the 2015 season, pitched for the Harrisburg Senators that year, and had the most wins (14) and the lowest earned run average (ERA; 2.57) of all minor league pitchers in the Nationals minor league system.

Used as a relief pitcher, the left-hander throws a fastball that hits the low 90s, a changeup, a curveball, and a slider.

[14][6][11][15][16] In his three years at the university, he had a 2.70 ERA (2nd-best all-time in school history), 17 wins (7th) against 4 losses, and 181 strikeouts (7th) in 209.2 innings.

[18] The Texas Rangers selected Bleier in the sixth round of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft, after his junior year in college.

[14] His signing made him the highest draft pick in the history of Florida Gulf Coast University.

[22][23] Bleier was voted Pitcher of the Week in the Class AA Texas League with the Rangers' Frisco RoughRiders on both May 10, 2010, and June 6, 2011.

He split the 2013 season between the Triple-A Round Rock Express and Frisco, registering an overall 6–6 record with four saves and a 3.32 ERA with 49 strikeouts.

[24] After the 2013 season, the Toronto Blue Jays selected Bleier from the Rangers in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft.

[24][27] On December 13, 2014, Bleier signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals organization, and he pitched first for the Harrisburg Senators in 2015, for whom in 16 games (15 starts) he was 8–3 with a 2.45 ERA, as in 103 innings he walked only 9 batters (one intentionally), and led the Eastern League with a rate of 0.8 walks per 9 innings.

[35][6] He became the third former FGCU player to play in the majors, joining pitchers Chris Sale and Casey Coleman.

"[5] In 23 relief appearances in 2016, Bleier had two holds and a 1.96 ERA in 23 innings, a 1.043 WHIP, and left-handed batters hit .150 against him.

[36][37] On February 21, 2017, the Yankees traded Bleier to the Baltimore Orioles for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

[40] The Orioles promoted Bleier to the major leagues after he posted an ERA of 0.61 in 14.2 innings over eight games, in which he did not give up a walk.

[46] In April 2018, Sam Miller wrote in ESPN: "Bleier has ... the best [career] ERA+ in major league history, minimum 95 innings".

[47] A few days later Jon Meoli wrote in The Baltimore Sun: "By one measurement, Richard Bleier is the best statistical pitcher to ever toe the major league rubber.

He knows that by the relatively arbitrary measurement of pitchers with 101 big league innings or more, his 242 ERA+ was the best... His raw ERA [1.78] is the best in baseball history for that qualifier as well.

[49] The injury required surgical repair that ended Bleier's season; there was a chance he could be ready to pitch in spring training in 2019.

[59] Bleier returned from his lat muscle surgery in 2019, and was on the injured list from April 10 to May 16 with left shoulder tendinitis.

[46] He also had some of the worst batted-ball luck on ground balls in the American League, and after a dugout shouting match about defensive positioning with infield coach José Flores, he played in front of an infield that was not shifted for the final month of the season, and saw his results further improve.

[33] Bleier was traded from Baltimore to the Miami Marlins on July 31, 2020, in a transaction that was completed seven weeks later when the Orioles received minor-league shortstop Isaac De León on September 18.

[67][68] In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, with Baltimore and Miami combined Bleier was 1–1 with 6 holds, a 2.16 ERA, and a 1.08 WHIP in 16.2 innings over 21 games.

[76] Bleier was called for a balk by first-base umpire John Tumpane three times—in a single plate appearance.

It was as he faced Pete Alonso, allowing Jeff McNeil to score from first base in the eighth inning of a 6–4 win over the New York Mets at Citi Field on September 27, 2022.

"[79] For the 2022 season, Bleier was 2–2 with one save, seven holds, and a 3.55 ERA in 50 games (one start) covering 50.2 innings in which he gave up 10 walks (3 intentional).

[83] On January 30, 2023, the Marlins traded Bleier to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for former All-Star closing pitcher Matt Barnes.

[84][85] Bleier opened the season as a member of Boston's bullpen, until being placed on the injured list on May 22 due to left shoulder inflammation.

[105][106] He appeared in two games during the tournament, pitching to a 1–0 record, allowing one hit and four strikeouts over 2+2⁄3 scoreless innings.