Blue Jays: Simeon Woods Richardson clears waivers, joins Bisons

It’s presumed that he’ll be stretched back out as a starter, something that the Blue Jays desperately need at the Triple-A level. Despite coming into 2026 Spring Training with eight starters signed, the Jays’ rotation depth has been ravaged by injuries, so Woods Richardson clearing is great news for the Jays.

Acquired in a trade with the Minnesota Twins at the start of June, Woods Richardson appeared in three games for the Blue Jays where he pitched 10 scoreless innings. However, he walked (18.4 BB%) more batters than he struck out (13.2 K%) while opponents had just a .154 BABIP off the righty.

While he’s had a tough 2026 season, Woods Richardson has shown to be a capable big league pitcher in the past, authoring a 4.11 ERA and 4.30 FIP in 245 innings of work in 2024 and 2025 with the Twins.

Woods Richardson served as a long-man in those three outings, getting inconsistent playing time. The 25-year-old didn’t make his debut until June 8th against the Philadelphia Phillies. Nine days later, he pitched three scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox, before another eight-day break that eventually ended when he pitched against the Texas Rangers.

Still, maintaining Woods Richardson in the organization is the best outcome for the Jays, as it means that they’ll have someone to call up if another starter goes down with an injury.

Pitching for the Bisons will be a first for Woods Richardson. In his first stint with the Blue Jays follow the Marcus Stroman trade, Woods Richardson reached as high as Double-A before the Jays sent him and Austin Martin to the Twins for José Berríos.

Funnily enough, the Bisons are facing the Twins’ Triple-A team, the Saint Paul Saints, for a six-game series this week. We’ll see when Woods Richardson makes his Bisons’ debut.