"Lewis, 27 in June, looked to be on the cusp of stardom back in 2023. The former No. 1 overall pick returned from a torn ACL to hit .309/.372/.548 with 15 homers in only 239 plate appearances. The Twins won the AL Central that year, due in no small part to that production from the longtime top prospect, and Lewis erupted with four home runs in only 26 plate appearances that postseason."
"Injuries have continued to set Lewis back, however. In addition to a pair of ACL tears in the same right knee, he's had major league IL stints for an oblique strain, a quad strain (twice), an adductor strain and a hamstring strain (twice). Since showing that glimpse of his true upside in '23, he's taken 728 turns at the plate in two seasons and posted a pedestrian .235/.288/.416 batting line."
"Getting Lewis back to 2023 form - or at least something within arm's reach of it - will be pivotal for the Twins in 2026. Ownership and the front office continue to broadcast a desire to compete this season, but the Twins tore down the bullpen at last summer's deadline, lost Pablo López to UCL surgery already this spring, and made only marginal additions to the roster over the winter."
Royce Lewis, the Twins' third baseman, avoided a serious injury after an MRI revealed no damage following right side tightness during baserunning. Lewis will rest today but should resume normal workouts by the weekend. The 27-year-old showed tremendous potential in 2023 after returning from a torn ACL, batting .309 with 15 home runs in limited plate appearances and helping the Twins win the AL Central. However, recurring lower body injuries including multiple ACL tears, oblique, quad, adductor, and hamstring strains have significantly impacted his performance since then. Over the past two seasons, Lewis has posted a .235 batting average across 728 plate appearances. Restoring Lewis to his 2023 form remains crucial for the Twins' competitive aspirations in 2026.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]