Woods Richardson's Blue Jays debut may have left the Twins cringing again

Prospects are never easy to part with, given the uncertainty of how their MLB careers will unfold. Sure, there are players like Noah Syndergaard and Gabriel Moreno that the fanbase never wanted to part with. Then there are prospects that were concerning at first and panned out to be less than they were projected such as Austin Martin or Jordan Groshans.

But how often do you get an opportunity to get a prospect you traded away back to the franchise? It happened with Jeff Hoffman, who was dealt to the Colorado Rockies in 2015 and returned to Toronto in 2025 (even if he's drawn Toronto's ire).

The latest Blue Jays prospect to return is Simeon Woods Richardson, who was dealt to the Minnesota Twins in 2021 for José Berrios. Woods Richardson was recently designated for assignment by the Twins and subsequently traded to Toronto for cash considerations and, after one appearance, it seems the Twins may be asking themselves, "how did the Blue Jays get away with another one?"

Woods Richardson is already complimenting the bullpen

Woods Richardson made his (long-awaited, one may say) Blue Jays debut Monday night (Jun. 8) against the Philadelphia Phillies. In the midst of trailing 5-1 early, Woods Richardson came into the game and was lights out, throwing four scoreless innings with three strikeouts.

His performance felt like a breath of fresh air after a miserable stint with the Twins this season. Woods-Richardson posted an 0-7 record with an alarming 7.74 ERA in 12 games (10 of those as a starter). He allowed 41 earned runs in 47.2 innings, which led to his eventual DFA from Minnesota.

Woods Richardson was mainly a starter for the Twins, where his final numbers included a 12-16 record with a 4.71 ERA in 61 games. The Twins used him as a reliever for only five games, over 16.0 innings, during which he posted a 4.50 ERA.

More likely than not, Woods-Richardson won't see any time as a starter with the impending returns of Max Scherzer and now Shane Bieber. However, there's an intrigue having what is essentially starting pitching depth in the bullpen, look no further than what Eric Lauer was able to provide in 2025. Given his experience as a starter, if Woods Richardson can provide long relief from the bullpen and find a way to follow up his Blue Jays debut and be consistent, then acquiring him from the Twins may be a better move than most realize.

This is also the team that sent the Blue Jays Louis Varland and Ty France at the deadline just a year ago. Varland has since turned into one of the best relievers in not just the American League, but perhaps in all of MLB. The Blue Jays gave up pitching prospect Kedry Rojas and outfield prospect Alan Roden in that deal. Both guys are in their mid-20s and still have some upside, but it's hard to beat what Varland has done in his Blue Jays tenure.

Understandably, a single relief appearance won't even come close to telling the full story for Woods Richardson, and it may very well be an overreaction. But, if this is the Woods Richardson the Blue Jays originally valued, then the Twins will consider never picking up the phone again to talk business with Toronto.

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