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The Minnesota Twins find themselves in an interesting position with their pitching staff. With Pablo López and Simeon Woods Richardson both working their way back from the injured list, the club must balance the short-term goal of finishing the season strong with the long-term considerations tied to each pitcher’s future. Their recent rehab outings with St. Paul provided the first glimpse of what the road back might look like.
López’s Return: A Balancing Act of Health and Trade Value
López made his first rehab start on Thursday and worked through a demanding outing. The right-hander labored in the first inning, throwing 32 pitches before being removed after hitting his 45-pitch limit in the second. He finished 1 2/3 innings, surrendering a run on four hits, walking one, and striking out two. His velocity looked encouraging, with fastballs averaging 94.3 mph and sinkers holding steady at 93.9 mph.
For López, this rehab stint is about more than just regaining his rhythm. Following the Twins’ trade deadline sell-off, López is now the club’s highest guaranteed contract, set to make $21.5 million in both 2026 and 2027. That contract status complicates the picture, because he is a team leader and would like to compete, but his performance down the stretch also doubles as an audition for other clubs should the Twins pursue a trade this winter. Minnesota will want to prove he’s healthy and effective, which makes his workload management even more delicate.
Woods Richardson’s Path Back to Stability
Woods Richardson followed López in St. Paul and tossed 3 1/3 innings, giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits, while walking one and striking out four. He threw 64 pitches, landing 40 for strikes, with his fastball sitting at 93.3 mph and topping out at 95.2. The results weren’t perfect, but the velocity and ability to miss bats remain encouraging signs for a pitcher returning from injury.
Unlike López, Woods Richardson’s situation is less about showcasing trade value and more about development. Still just 24 years old, the Twins hope he can take another step forward as a reliable rotation option. His workload down the stretch needs to be carefully managed, with an emphasis on building innings in a controlled way. Over the last two seasons, he has posted a 100 ERA+ with a K% north of 20.0% and a BB% just above 9.0%. If he can get back to consistently pounding the zone and avoiding the big inning, Minnesota will feel much better about penciling him into next year’s plans.
How the Twins Should Handle Them Down the Stretch
The Twins are out of contention, but these rehab assignments underline that the rest of the season still matters. López’s starts should be approached with two key goals in mind: proving he is healthy and helping the front office position him as a valuable asset. That doesn’t mean pushing him to his limits. It means measured progress, targeting outings of four to five innings before letting him finish the year in the big-league rotation.
For Woods Richardson, the priority is experience and confidence. Minnesota should aim to get him stretched out to around 80–90 pitches, focusing on refining command and sequencing rather than raw results. His ability to consistently compete deep into outings will go a long way toward determining whether he’s viewed as a rotation lock or depth option moving forward.
This stretch run may not carry playoff implications, but it still holds weight for the Twins’ future. López needs to show health and effectiveness to either remain a frontline piece or become a centerpiece in a winter trade. Woods Richardson needs to show progress and stability so the team can confidently rely on him in 2026. Both pitchers represent different parts of the Twins’ puzzle, and how the club handles their usage over the next six weeks could have ripple effects far beyond this season.
How should the Twins handle these two pitchers over the season’s final month? Leave a comment and start the discussion.
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