Twins send starting pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson to minor leagues

BALTIMORE – The Twins made their first non-injury-related change to their starting rotation Thursday, sending Simeon Woods Richardson to Class AAA.

Zebby Matthews, who has posted a 1.93 ERA in seven starts for the St. Paul Saints, is expected to fill Woods Richardson’s slot in the rotation, the Minnesota Star Tribune learned. The Twins haven’t announced their starter for Sunday at Milwaukee.

There were multiple reasons for the timing of the move. Woods Richardson, who gave up eight hits and six runs across four innings during the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, owns a 2-2 record and a 5.02 ERA through eight outings. He hadn’t completed five innings in any of his past three starts, allowing 15 hits and 10 runs in 13⅓ innings.

Plus, the Twins wanted an extra reliever — lefty Kody Funderburk will remain in the big leagues after he was used as the 27th man for the doubleheader — because they used all their relief pitchers Wednesday. The Twins don’t have an off day until Thursday.

“I think more of it is a product of playing 18 innings [Wednesday], using everybody in your bullpen,” bench coach Jayce Tingler said. “We got nine innings out of our bullpen. Not just [Thursday] but probably this series in Milwaukee, it gives us and Sim a chance to reset. Maybe get an outing or a couple of outings there in AAA to get reset.”

Matthews made nine starts for the Twins at the end of last season, posting a 1-4 record and a 6.69 ERA, but his velocity has ticked up this year. In 32⅔ minor league innings, he has given up seven earned runs while striking out 38 and walking nine.

David Festa, who yielded a 1.58 ERA through three big-league starts this year when Pablo López was on the 15-day injured list, skipped his last start at St. Paul because of arm fatigue and hasn’t pitched since May 6. Festa is scheduled to start for the Saints this weekend.

“You try to do your best not to let it snowball and let the game speed up,” Woods Richardson said afterward. “I think it sped up a little bit.”

Harrison Bader remained out of the Twins lineup Thursday after leaving the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader because of left groin tightness.

“Running to a ball to my right, I felt a little jolt,” Bader said. “Precautionary, shut it down. I’ve felt some stuff early in my career and I’m smart enough to know when it’s the right decision to just be smart. It’s fine.”

Bader, who is batting .422 over his past 15 games, went on the injured list at the end of the 2023 season because of a groin strain.

“I just took myself out because I didn’t feel confident to be able to go 100 percent, which is how I love to play,” he said. “Whenever I feel like I need to hold back, I just need to be smart because I want to be able to do that as often as I can for a full season. I just didn’t feel confident in it.”

Coulombe, for the first time in his career, forgot his glove in his locker when the Twins left Minnesota on their current road trip. He initially asked Orioles lefty Keegan Akin if he had a spare glove, which Akin thought was a joke from his former teammate.

He ended up borrowing one of Funderburk’s gloves Wednesday after the lefty was recalled from the minors. Coulombe weighed using team director of travel Mike Herman’s glove.

“It’s weird using another man’s glove,” Coulombe said.

Coulombe’s teal-colored glove was shipped to Baltimore and arrived in the visiting clubhouse Thursday morning.

“It wasn’t funny at the time, but I got my glove back,” Coulombe said. “It’s just different. His glove is heavier. You get used to something. I’ve used that glove every game for the last two years.”