Twins Notes: Woods Richardson, Rojas, Lewis

Key Points:

• The Twins are moving struggling starter Simeon Woods Richardson to the bullpen temporarily, with prospect Kendry Rojas starting in his place against the Astros; Woods Richardson has a 7.71 ERA and has struggled with home runs and strikeouts this season.
• Woods Richardson, a former second-round pick acquired in the José Berríos trade, has seen a slight velocity drop and changes in his pitching arsenal, but the Twins cannot option him to the minors due to lack of minor league options and still see potential in him.
• Kendry Rojas, a highly regarded 23-year-old left-hander with a 2.20 ERA in the minors and promising velocity and secondary pitches, will have an opportunity to audition for a rotation spot long term as part of the Twins' young pitching core.
• Twins third baseman Royce Lewis, once a top prospect, is struggling this season with a .163 batting average and increased strikeouts, largely due to multiple serious lower-body injuries; the team may consider demoting him if performance does not improve.
• Lewis, controllable through 2028 with minor league options remaining, is being praised for his work ethic by manager Derek Shelton, but alternatives like Orlando Arcia and prospect Kaelen Culpepper are being considered to replace him if needed.