Simeon Woods Richardson

February 14, 2025

Leading fifth starter candidate

Woods Richardson is seen as the leading candidate for the No. 5 spot in the Minnesota rotation as spring training begins, Betsy Helfand reports.

Analysis

Richardson had his first success in the majors last year with a revamped delivery and increased velocity but ran out of gas late in the season (5.91 ERA and 4.6 BB/9 in his last 11 starts). Still, he's seen as the leading candidate for the fifth starter role, with David Festa and Zebby Matthews also in the mix. Chris Paddack enters camp penciled in as the No. 4 starter, but he's not a lock to keep his spot either. The final two spots could be in flux as a result, but Richardson may begin with a slight lead.