Simeon Woods Richardson’s Path Forward Starts in the Bullpen, But it Might Be On Hold

The last handful of starts for Simeon Woods Richardson have described a troubling trend. At this point, it’s fair to wonder not just how long he remains in the rotation, but whether that role still makes sense at all. Were it not for the injuries that continue to deplete the team's starting staff, Woods Richardson might be in the bullpen already.

When the Twins acquired Woods Richardson alongside Austin Martin at the 2021 trade deadline in exchange for José Berríos, the vision was clear. He was supposed to develop into a reliable starting pitcher—someone who could anchor the back end of a rotation, with upside. For a stretch, that looked plausible. He showed flashes of being a capable fourth or fifth starter, eating innings and keeping his team in games. Though 2024 ended in disappointment, Woods Richardson kept them afloat for a long stretch during which the team was badly diminished by injuries.

Alas, 2026 has been a different story entirely. Through his first seven starts, Woods Richardson owns a 6.49 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP. He’s allowed 47 hits and 14 walks, while striking out just 17 batters. He’s not pitching deep into games, and the innings he does provide have often come with significant damage. 

The underlying numbers don’t offer much encouragement, either. His strikeout rate sits at a highly concerning 10.6%, one of the lowest marks you’ll find for a starting pitcher. He’s generating very few whiffs, and when hitters do make contact, they’re squaring him up with authority. His arsenal, which already is limited for a starter, simply isn’t playing. The advanced metrics paint a bleak picture across the board.

Put simply, what the Twins are doing right now with Woods Richardson is not working. At some point, acknowledging that opens the door to a different solution. A move to the bullpen stands out as the most logical next step.

There are clear indicators that Woods Richardson could thrive in a shorter-burst role. Most notably, his effectiveness the first time through the order has been excellent. His ERA sits at 1.20 when hitters haven’t already seen him, and he’s recorded 11 of his 17 strikeouts in those matchups. That version of Woods Richardson looks like a completely different pitcher.

The drop-off after that is dramatic. The second time through the order, his ERA balloons to 14.66. Over 11 2/3 innings in those situations, he’s struck out just two batters, while allowing a .375 batting average and six home runs. It’s not a subtle decline; it’s a cliff.

That split tells a pretty clear story. For two to three innings, Woods Richardson can be effective. After that, hitters adjust, his stuff flattens out, and the results spiral. A profile like that is far more aligned with a reliever than a starter. He doesn't lose a ton of velocity or movement as the game progresses, but hitters quickly get familiar with the relatively limited set of sequences and shapes he can throw at them.

There’s also a compelling velocity component to consider. Woods Richardson’s fastball typically sits in the 92 to 93 mph range, which isn’t overpowering in today’s game, especially for a starter expected to turn a lineup over multiple times. As he works deeper into outings, that velocity can dip, leaving him even more vulnerable.

In shorter stints, though, there’s reason to believe that changes. We’ve seen him reach back for 96 to 97 mph at times, with flashes of a different gear that simply isn’t sustainable over five or six innings. In a bullpen role, that higher velocity could become more consistent. A tick or two of added velocity, paired with a simplified approach, could make his entire arsenal play up.

The timing of a potential move is complicated, but not prohibitive. With Mick Abel currently on the injured list, the Twins don’t have an abundance of rotation options, which makes it harder to pull Woods Richardson out immediately. Joe Ryan is likely to land on the shelf, too, after leaving Sunday's start with elbow soreness. Still, Abel has already resumed throwing bullpens and may not be far off from a return. When that happens, the Twins will have a decision to make.

Connor Prielipp’s emergence adds another layer to the conversation. He’s looked sharp over his first three starts and offers something the current rotation lacks: a left-handed presence. Slotting him into the rotation not only injects upside but also creates better balance within the staff.

Moving Woods Richardson to a relief role wouldn’t just be about addressing his struggles; it would also allow the organization to reconfigure its pitching staff in a way that maximizes everyone’s strengths. The Twins’ bullpen has not exactly been sharp. We just saw that group completely unravel with an eight-run eighth inning collapse on Saturday, and while one inning doesn’t define an entire unit, it does highlight how volatile things have been. This isn’t a bullpen that’s been consistently locking games down, and adding another arm that’s been promising in shorter bursts could really help stabilize things.

None of this is to suggest that the Twins should give up on him. He’s still relatively young, and there’s enough of a track record to believe he can contribute at the major-league level. But continuing to run him out as a starter, hoping for different results, isn’t a particularly convincing strategy.

Without Ryan, the decision is put off for a while. None of the available alternatives to Woods Richardson have done enough to give the team any reasonable measure of confidence in them, so they still need Woods Richardson as a starter. At some point, though, adjustments to the role and expectations aren’t just helpful; they’re necessary. For Woods Richardson, that adjustment may very well be the key to getting his career back on track.