Does Simeon Woods Richardson Deserve the Twins' Final Starting Rotation Spot?

Simeon Woods Richardson entered last spring with something to prove to the Twins. His 2023 season had been an unmitigated disaster. He spent most of the season pitching in Triple A, where he recorded a 4.91 ERA, a 1.50 WHIP, and a 19.3% strikeout rate. His mechanics were inconsistent and stiff, causing his fastball velocity to dip below 90 mph. As a result, Woods Richardson’s prospect status took a significant hit. Without improvement, his chances of becoming a viable major-league pitcher appeared slim.

Improbably, though, Woods Richardson saved the Twins rotation last season. He was thrust into the rotation on Apr. 13 after injuries and poor performances from other starters, and he never looked back. Across 133 2/3 innings, Woods Richardson struck out 20.6% of batters and held an ERA of 4.17. His ERA was significantly lower before the season’s final month, when he pitched past his career high in innings. At Twins Daily, SWR was the runaway choice for the team’s Rookie of the Year. Based on that performance, does he deserve the fifth starter job coming out of spring training?

“We have another spot that we have guys that they’ve shown us a lot already,” Baldelli told reporters. “We have some young guys that have really stepped their game up in the last 12 months, and we’re going to look to those guys to go out there and show us what they can do.”

We knew that, though. Which pitchers have an edge, in the skipper's eyes?

“Festa looked great. Simeon Woods Richardson had a great year for us as well. But we're not going to set the rotation or put them in any order any time soon," Baldelli said. "We'll start with Pablo on day one, Joe and Bailey sometime early and we'll discuss what the rest of the orders and shapes and things like that look like.”

Baldelli didn't name Chris Paddack during that off-the-cuff remark, but it sounds like Paddack will get the inside track on the fourth starting gig. That just leaves one. Woods Richardson will have to separate himself from Festa, Zebby Matthews, and more.

The other options for the team’s fifth rotation spot have plenty of upside, even if they have less big-league experience than Woods Richardson. Festa leads the pack, armed with a mid- to upper-90s fastball and a slider that has shown huge promise. He made 14 appearances with the Twins last season and flashed the ability to generate swings and misses, though refining his command will be key. Matthews emerged as one of the system’s biggest risers, displaying elite strike-throwing ability (7 walks in 97 IP) while carving up hitters at multiple levels. His mix of polish and control could give him a legitimate shot if the Twins value a steady presence at the back of the rotation.

Beyond those two, Marco Raya and Travis Adams remain intriguing but slightly less plausible options. Raya possesses some of the best pure stuff in the system, but workload concerns have followed him throughout his professional career. The Twins have been careful with his innings, and it’s unclear if they’d entrust him with a full starter’s workload right away. Adams doesn’t have the same level of prospect hype, but the Twins thought highly enough of him to add him to the 40-man roster in November to shield him from December's Rule 5 Draft. His ability to generate weak contact and limit damage makes him a dark-horse candidate. The competition among these young pitchers will be one of the most compelling storylines of camp.

Woods Richardson earned some trust last year. He should get the first shot in the team’s rotation, but it sure looks like he'll have to seize his opportunity, rather than having it offered to him. He’s out to prove himself again, and that might help to drive the entire pitching staff to improve. 

Does Woods Richardson deserve the final rotation spot based on his 2024 performance? Leave a comment and start the discussion.