Minnesota Twins go the ‘opener’ route, starting Justin Topa and relieving with Simeon Woods Richardson

ATLANTA - The Twins are cautious about allowing their pitchers to face hitters three times in a game, especially the top of the order. So with former All-Stars occupying five of the top six spots in the Braves’ lineup, manager Rocco Baldelli decided to resurrect a tactic he’s used a few times every season: the opener.

Justin Topa was assigned Saturday to make his first major league start, and first as a professional at any level since 2018. Simeon Woods Richardson, originally scheduled to start, was told he would enter the game after Topa was removed.

The hope was that Topa could handle the top four to six hitters without allowing a run before turning it over to Woods Richardson. It wasn’t as clean as hoped. Topa gave up three hits and a run in the first inning, and Woods Richardson replaced him for the second.

That still left Baldelli’s plan in a good place.

“Most of [Woods Richardson’s] outings have been closer to 80 pitches than 100. So, what’s the best way to use Sim’s 85 pitches?” Baldelli said. “If you can push [his start] toward the middle of their order, maybe we get him to go more than two times around, maybe 2 ½ times. It allows us to have Sim maybe pitch another inning, facing guys other than the top of the order.”

Baldelli used former Twin Steven Okert as an opener against the Phillies last year, ahead of David Festa, and the pair combined to allow only one run in the first five innings.

“We’ve also seen how these bullpen games can be challenging for the other team. It sometimes forces the other team to make a lot of decisions, sometimes earlier in the game than they want to,” Baldelli said. “Sim can handle coming in out of the bullpen without an issue.”

Speaking of decisions, the Twins will make one soon about their starting rotation. Pablo López struck out four and allowed only one run on three hits over 4 ⅔ innings for the Class AAA St. Paul Saints in their 1-0 loss to Iowa in Des Moines.

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López, his right hamstring strain healed, is eligible to come off the injured list Thursday. If the Twins deem him ready to return, as seems likely, they will have to decide how to make room, or even whether to keep six starters during a stretch of 13 games without an off day.

David Festa has filled in well for López; his ERA stands at 0.00 after allowing only an unearned run in his nine innings over two starts, and he hasn’t walked a batter while striking out 10.

Carlos Correa is adding a new piece of equipment to his gameday gadgets, one that might make him look like a prizefighter or Olympic swimmer.

“I’ve been having trouble breathing lately,” the Twins shortstop said. “These help a lot.”

These are Breathe Right strips, designed to pull his nostrils open to allow more air in. They are a common accessory in other sports, but not often seen on MLB diamonds.

Correa has undergone surgery on his nasal passages twice over the past half-dozen years to address the narrowing of his septum, and he doesn’t want a third procedure. He’s been experimenting with a magnetic metal band over his nose during pregame workouts and has been encouraged by how well he can breathe with it.

After getting clearance from MLB, he’s switching to the more common type, which looks like a bandage over his nose.