Twins Demote Woods Richardson to Bullpen, Insert Rojas Into Rotation

The Twins have benched Simeon Woods Richardson from the starting rotation, shifting him to bullpen duty for at least one turn through the order, per reporting from the Minnesota Star Tribune. Left-hander Kendry Rojas, a prospect acquired in last year's Louis Varland trade with Toronto, takes over the fifth-starter slot and will make his next scheduled start tonight.

Woods Richardson entered 2026 with rotation expectations but has failed to command his arsenal consistently this season. His inability to consistently work deep into games has forced Minnesota into a bullpen management bind—using high-leverage relievers to cover innings that a starter should theoretically absorb. Moving him to shorter stints and lower-pressure situations allows the organization to protect his arm while evaluating whether mechanical adjustments in a relief role unlock the stuff scouts once valued. The move also buys time for younger arms to prove they belong in a Major League rotation.

Rojas, viewed as one of Toronto's discards in the Varland swap, gets his audition in a rotation role. The prospect's minor-league track record and fastball-slider combination suggest the Twins believe he can eat innings at a reasonable cost. Whether Rojas sticks or merely serves as a placeholder, the organizational priority is clear: Minnesota is in evaluation mode, testing which young arms can handle a Major League workload before external roster moves become necessary.

For betting purposes, this reshuffle carries immediate implications for rotation-dependent props. Woods Richardson's bullpen reassignment removes him from starter strikeout markets—a significant change for any book that had priced him into upcoming start projections. Bettors had likely been fading his K-prop lines due to mechanical inconsistency; the shift to relief eliminates that volatility entirely. Rojas enters without recent Major League data, making his start a true unknown. Sportsbooks will price conservatively on his strikeout projections, likely anchoring to minor-league extrapolations rather than big-league precedent. If Rojas performed well against advanced fastball-detection hitters in triple-A, his first start could offer value on the under side of his K-prop line, as books typically inflate strikeout projections for debuts to hedge uncertainty. The inverse risk applies to Twins team total; if Rojas cannot command his secondary pitches, run support will shrink. Lean unders on Minnesota's team total in Rojas's debut until he demonstrates he can execute out of the stretch.