BREAKING: Twins Designate Simeon Woods Richardson for Assignment

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins have made several eye-opening roster decisions over the past few weeks. Demotions for Matt Wallner and Royce Lewis certainly grabbed headlines, but Saturday's announcement may be the most unexpected move of the season.

The club designated right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson for assignment, effectively removing him from both the active roster and the 40-man roster. In a corresponding move, Minnesota promoted fellow right-hander John Klein from Triple-A St. Paul. Because Klein already occupied a spot on the 40-man roster, the Twins now have just 38 players on their 40-man roster.

The significance of the move goes beyond a simple roster shuffle. Woods Richardson entered the season without any minor league options remaining. That means the Twins could not send him back to Triple-A without first exposing him to waivers, where any club can claim him and immediately place him on its major league roster.

For a pitcher who entered the year expected to provide valuable rotation depth, things unraveled quickly. Woods Richardson posted a 7.74 ERA across 47 2/3 innings this season while recording 26 strikeouts against 25 walks. The lack of swing-and-miss stuff combined with ongoing command issues left him struggling to consistently navigate major league lineups.

Two weeks ago, Minnesota removed him from the starting rotation in hopes that a relief role might unlock better results. The experiment showed some signs of improvement. Woods Richardson worked three scoreless innings across two bullpen appearances, though he still allowing too many base runners in each outing.

His return to the rotation came out of necessity rather than performance. After Kendry Rojas was scratched with an elbow issue earlier this week, Woods Richardson was called upon to start Thursday's game against the White Sox. The outing did little to strengthen his case for a roster spot. He surrendered five runs in just 2 2/3 innings during Minnesota's 6-2 loss. That appearance appears to have been the final straw.

What's particularly fascinating about this decision is what it says about the Twins' internal evaluation. Minnesota's bullpen depth has been tested throughout the season, and organizations are usually hesitant to part with pitchers who still possess starting experience. By designating Woods Richardson for assignment, the Twins are signaling that they do not view him as a viable long-term bullpen solution.

If the organization believed there was a meaningful role for him moving forward, exposing him to waivers would have represented a significant risk. Now the Twins must wait to see whether another organization is willing to take a chance on the 25-year-old right-hander. Given his former prospect pedigree and major league experience, there is a reasonable possibility another club will be interested.

For Minnesota, the move creates immediate roster flexibility. For Woods Richardson, it could mark the end of his tenure with the organization that acquired him as part of the José Berríos trade nearly five years ago.

Check back for additional updates as more details become available.

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[DJL44]

They didn’t even really try him as a one inning reliever. 

[mikelink45]

I am amazed - you need a wow emoji.

But I am actually quite pleased to see the organization take bold moves with SWR, Lewis, Wallner.  In the past we just hung on to poor performances.  Now the team is saying produce or move on.  I like. 

What will be next?

[mark allen]

I don't think much chance he clears waivers. Think with no injury to Rohas he would have had more of a chance to make bull pen. I wish him well with his new team

[bean5302]

I feel pretty strongly another team will claim him if he makes it to that point. I wonder if the Twins are planning to see if they can trade him as part of this move because the team is also thinking he'd get claimed and this was just a way to make a more efficient marketing effort.

[karcherd]

2 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

I am amazed - you need a wow emoji.

But I am actually quite pleased to see the organization take bold moves with SWR, Lewis, Wallner.  In the past we just hung on to poor performances.  Now the team is saying produce or move on.  I like. 

What will be next?

I will believe they have changed when the same move is made with Bell.  I don't disagree with the moves made, but what about doing the same with the vets instead of just the younger players.

[karcherd]

I think part of this move is they needed another reliever up here and had no one else they could or wanted to move.  The decision to move back Bradley is coming back to bite them in more ways than one.  Sim would not have been available for another two or three days.

[jkcarew]

So DFA the 25-year-old, who you’ve really never given a chance in the bullpen?? It’s not like there weren’t several other perfectly acceptable DFA choices if you had to clear a roster spot.

SWR is younger than Matthews, Festa, Bradley…a few months older than Prielipp.

No idea what his future holds. Still, this feels like a short-sighted choice. Typical of this organization.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

5 minutes ago, karcherd said:

I think part of this move is they needed another reliever up here and had no one else they could or wanted to move.  The decision to move back Bradley is coming back to bite them in more ways than one.  Sim would not have been available for another two or three days.

Taking care of Bradley is critical to the immediate future.

As far as Rojas, injuries happen, it sucks.

Sim didn’t perform and was on thin ice as it was. I don’t agree that pushing back Bradley is biting them at all.

What’s biting them is an absolute failure to invest in this team last August/September and the offseason. They wasted prime trial months on washed DFA fodder, and spent money on adding to the glut of DHs rather than the bullpen or actual fielders.

[darin617]

SWR will get claimed and they will try to get him into the minors. It might take 3 teams until the rest of the league gives up on him.

I would have tried him in the bullpen and only let him throw his plus pitches. If that only leaves him with 2 pitches that's fine for 1 inning of relief.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

23 minutes ago, bean5302 said:

I feel pretty strongly another team will claim him if he makes it to that point. I wonder if the Twins are planning to see if they can trade him as part of this move because the team is also thinking he'd get claimed and this was just a way to make a more efficient marketing effort.

This! The DFA is facilitating a trade at a non-peak trading period.

[The Great Hambino]

26 minutes ago, karcherd said:

I will believe they have changed when the same move is made with Bell.  I don't disagree with the moves made, but what about doing the same with the vets instead of just the younger players.

If they weren't willing to spend any more than they did in the offseason, then I find it hard to believe they'd be willing to eat his salary during the season, especially since it isn't like there's a roster crunch blocking anyone banging on the door from coming up right now with all the injuries

[Seth Stohs]

Not much surprises me anymore, but this one was shocking. That's very surprising. 

Makes little sense, unless he requested it. I expect there'll be more tiers to this story. 

[Peter]

Why???? Huge mistake DFAing SWR!!! 👎👎👎😡😤🤬

[Shaitan]

is it really necessary to put BREAKING in all the headlines?

[thelanges5]

44 minutes ago, mikelink45 said:

I am amazed - you need a wow emoji.

But I am actually quite pleased to see the organization take bold moves with SWR, Lewis, Wallner.  In the past we just hung on to poor performances.  Now the team is saying produce or move on.  I like. 

What will be next?

Hopefully James Outman DFA and bring Gabby back up. I’ve read that Roden and Jenkins are expected back mid-June. 

[Paul Walerius]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

They didn’t even really try him as a one inning reliever. 

He was. The problem is he doesn't throw hard enough, with the ABS. He has to be around the plate and he can't. 

[jorgenswest]

Liam Hendriks was in a similar spot with the Twins going into his age 25 season. He did poorly as a starter. The Twins never gave him a shot as a reliever.

[Blyleven2011]

Surprised  , not really ...

This organization doesn't know exactly how to operate efficiently  ...

Good luck SWR  

[Vanimal46]

44 minutes ago, Seth Stohs said:

Not much surprises me anymore, but this one was shocking. That's very surprising. 

Makes little sense, unless he requested it. I expect there'll be more tiers to this story. 

Agreed Seth. I am shocked to say the least. 

[CRF]

No doubt this was a major surprise. I never was much of a SWR fan, but maybe he should at least been given more of a chance in the pen. This "regime", and whomever is really calling the shots, definitely makes moves light years faster than the Falvey bunch.  

[ashbury]

Uffda.  Even if he passes through waivers and maybe makes a rebound with the Twins, this seriously degrades the rearview mirror grade on the Berrios trade.  Martin's provided value so far, but you have to trade front-line pitching for potential front-line pitching, and this has proved to be a failure.  Other teams will always offer you hitting for your pitching.

[karcherd]

53 minutes ago, The Great Hambino said:

If they weren't willing to spend any more than they did in the offseason, then I find it hard to believe they'd be willing to eat his salary during the season, especially since it isn't like there's a roster crunch blocking anyone banging on the door from coming up right now with all the injuries

Bell is unplayable at 1B, he proved that last night by not throwing home.  Bring up Sabato or Fedko, we are getting nothing from Bell.  Find out what you have in one of the younger players.

[jaimedude]

50 minutes ago, Peter said:

Why???? Huge mistake DFAing SWR!!! 👎👎👎😡😤🤬

I don't like it. SWR only 25 years old. This might end up being a mistake. We are carrying two catchers that cannot hit, a second basemen that keeps making errors in Keaschall. If you are going to hold SWR "accountable" why not Luke Keaschall? Carrying a 4th outfielder in Outman that should have been DFA already. This team is owned by pathetic owners that are not investing in success of the franchise, Pohlads are as bad as Glen Taylor was for so long. 

 

[strumdatjag]

I thought he had a chance in the bullpen.   But his stats were awful this year and the Twins see him on off-days.  I trust the team on this one and won’t be fretting over SWR.  Another player gets a chance to prove himself.  

[Wedman13]

1 hour ago, jkcarew said:

So DFA the 25-year-old, who you’ve really never given a chance in the bullpen?? It’s not like there weren’t several other perfectly acceptable DFA choices if you had to clear a roster spot.

SWR is younger than Matthews, Festa, Bradley…a few months older than Prielipp.

No idea what his future holds. Still, this feels like a short-sighted choice. Typical of this organization.

His stuff isn't close to the guys you mentioned.  He has no discernible dominant pitch - which for a reliever matters.  I find no issue here.

[Nshore]

SWR hasn't been injured, so he's like a foreign substance that had to be expelled!

Maybe they're clearing space for a big trade soon to come.  Who knows.

[Wedman13]

8 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Uffda.  Even if he passes through waivers and maybe makes a rebound with the Twins, this seriously degrades the rearview mirror grade on the Berrios trade.  Martin's provided value so far, but you have to trade front-line pitching for potential front-line pitching, and this has proved to be a failure.  Other teams will always offer you hitting for your pitching.

Agree it was a poor trade in hindsight.  But today is today.

[karcherd]

12 minutes ago, CRF said:

This "regime", and whomever is really calling the shots, definitely makes moves light years faster than the Falvey bunch. 

Again let's see them do this with the more experienced players than I will believe there is change.  Bell should not be at 1B ever again and he is there today.  Outman and Kreidler are on this roster as backups to Buxton yet it is Clemens in CF again.  I am not sure there has been a lot of change.  The kids always have the short leash, except Keaschall this year and the "vets" are not held accountable.

[IndianaTwin]

17 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Uffda.  Even if he passes through waivers and maybe makes a rebound with the Twins, this seriously degrades the rearview mirror grade on the Berrios trade.  Martin's provided value so far, but you have to trade front-line pitching for potential front-line pitching, and this has proved to be a failure.  Other teams will always offer you hitting for your pitching.

Berrios bWAR in the 1.5 seasons of control the Blue Jays received: 0.8. 

SWR bWAR, even with the debacle of this year: 2.5; Martin bWAR so far: 0.7 and counting.