After allowing just three earned runs on 10 hits and three walks in 11 2/3 innings over his first two starts of the season, Simeon Woods Richardson had two disastrous outings, surrendering five earned runs in four innings against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre on Friday and seven runs (six earned) in five innings against the Boston Red Sox at Target Field on Wednesday.
Twins shouldn't be concerned by Woods Richardson's rough stretch
Woods Richardson was sick and vomiting after eating a Subway sandwich before his start against Toronto, according to The Minnesota Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale. It seems fair to assume that being sick can affect a pitcher's performance on the mound. Therefore, we shouldn't look too deeply into Woods Richardson's poor outing against the Blue Jays, where the righty threw just 68 pitches.
It's understandable if fans are concerned about Woods Richardson's Wednesday start against Boston. However, diving deeper into the outing reveals there isn't much to be worried about.
Woods Richardson was unlucky against Red Sox on Wednesday
On Wednesday, Woods Richardson's six earned runs came on 10 hits and three walks on 92 pitches, leading to a 9-5 win for the Red Sox. On the surface, that stat line looks terrible. However, most of the hits Woods Richardson allowed came on weak contact.
Six of the 10 hits Woods Richardson allowed came on balls hit below 90 mph. Four of those were hit below 80 mph. The other four hits Woods Richardson surrendered were hit above 90 mph, with Trevor Story's three-run homer the hardest-hit at 101.8 mph.
Three-run dinger for TS10 😤 pic.twitter.com/Z4EoNY9ICm
— MLB (@MLB) April 15, 2026
Woods Richardson certainly had a rough start on Wednesday. But with only four of his 10 hits surrendered being hit above 90 mph, the Twins shouldn't be too concerned about the righty. Woods Richardson should still be a solid back-end-of-the-rotation arm for the Twins this year.
Woods Richardson was worth 2.2 bWAR with a 4.04 ERA last season, and 2.0 bWAR with a 4.17 ERA in 2024. Those aren't spectacular numbers, but they prove he's a solid starting pitcher. He isn't an ace by any means, but he can provide innings and give his team a chance to win most of his starts.
Even with his recent rough stretch, Woods Richardson is still succeeding in limiting free passes this season (7.6% walk rate). The righty obviously needs to limit hits at a higher rate than he did during his last two starts if he wants to keep his job, but his history suggests he will.
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