MINNEAPOLIS -- The result wasn’t what he wanted, but the experience will stay with Simeon Woods Richardson for a long time.
Woods Richardson, one of eight Black starting pitchers in the Major Leagues, donned the iconic No. 42 and took the mound as the Twins’ starter on Jackie Robinson Day on Wednesday.
Jackie Robinson Day coverage presented by Capital One
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He was charged with seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits over five innings as the Twins lost, 9-5. But regardless of the game’s outcome, the weight of the uniform number and the day were not lost on him.
“Oh it was huge,” he said. “Oh yeah. It was huge. No matter what the result was. To even just pitch on that day was huge. Felt a little emotional before the game. Texted my friends, texted my parents. It was really cool.”
His manager delighted in the chance to give Woods Richardson the opportunity to pitch on one of baseball’s most meaningful days.
“I love that it’s important to him, that it’s exciting for him and that he’s going to be a little juiced up,” said manager Derek Shelton before the game. “I think it’s very important for our generation of players to understand the historical significance of what Jackie Robinson did, not only for African American players, but for all players generationally. … The fact that Sim appreciates that, I think, is really important."
A native of the Houston area, Woods Richardson is an alumnus of the DREAM Series, an MLB initiative that seeks to help predominantly African American high school baseball players develop on and off the field. He participated in the first two iterations of the event in 2017 and 2018.
And now that he’s established in the Major Leagues, he looks to give back. He’s joined other alumni of MLB Develops programs, including teammate Taj Bradley, to teach and talk with the young people going through the DREAM Series now.
“I feel like the guys before me had a responsibility,” he said. “I feel like the guys before them had a responsibility. I feel like the guy we wear today had a huge responsibility. So, yeah. I wear it with pride.”
Woods Richardson and Bradley are among six Black players on the Twins, an unusually high number in baseball in 2026. And Woods Richardson’s teammates knew what it meant for him to have the opportunity on Wednesday.
“Obviously, this is a big day for all of us,” said Austin Martin, who went 2-for-4 with a solo homer. “Jackie Robinson paved the way for a lot of guys to be able to do what we love to do. He was the first one. It’s crazy to think this sport has a lot of mental hurdles you have to go over and thinking about having to deal with the mental aspect of the game, and then all of the stuff you have to deal with away from the game, too. It’s crazy.
“It’s great to see Sim out there going and doing his thing. … He’s a great ballplayer and a great pitcher. Sometimes, things don’t go your way. I thought he did well.”