The Twins suffered a potentially devastating blow today when third baseman Royce Lewis pulled up while running out a groundball and promptly exited the game. As relayed by Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Twins subsequently announced that the infielder had been diagnosed with a hamstring strain. The severity of the injury is currently unclear, but it seems likely that Lewis will miss at least some time with Opening Day less than two weeks away.
Lewis, 25, is among a number of immensely talented but often injured players on the Twins’ roster. The first overall pick in the 2017 draft, Lewis was a consensus top-10 prospect in the sport all the way back in 2019 and appeared to be on the verge of a big league debut in 2021. Unfortunately, a right ACL tear wiped out the entire 2021 season for the youngster, and while he made his big league debut in 2022 he suffered a second right ACL tear shortly thereafter that sidelined him until late May of 2023.
He’s been a more regular fixture of the club’s big league roster since that second call-up, though he’s missed time over the past two years due to oblique, hamstring, quad, and adductor strains. All of those injury woes have left Lewis with just 140 games played and 564 plate appearances under his belt over the past two seasons, though he’s remained an exciting talent through all of those issues and slashed .265/.328/.493 with a 127 wRC+ and 3.5 fWAR while playing third base for the Twins when healthy enough to take the field.
After his first fully healthy offseason of his major league career, it seemed as though Lewis was set to finally have a shot at participating in a wire-to-wire MLB season. Those hopes have likely been scuttled for the time being now, though, as his latest hamstring injury appears likely to keep him off the club’s Opening Day roster given Lewis’s lengthy injury and, more specifically, his history of lower half issues. It should be expected that the Twins will proceed with caution when it comes to handling the youngster given that context, although it seems likely that a more specific timetable for Lewis’s return won’t be clear until more information about the severity of Lewis’s strain is available.
If there’s a silver lining in this for the Twins, it’s that the club is reasonably well-equipped to handle the loss of Lewis. Jose Miranda is likely the favorite to step in at third base in Lewis’s place and hit a respectable .284/.322/.441 in 121 games last year as he rebounded from a dreadful 2023 campaign. If Miranda were to stumble, however, they’d have further flexibility as well. Brooks Lee is currently penciled in as the club’s second baseman but could slide over to the hot corner to make room for Edouard Julien or top infield prospect Luke Keaschall at the keystone.
Aside from those possibilities, the club also has a versatile option with no set position at its disposal in Willi Castro. Castro is already slated to serve in a super utility role and could cover any spot on the diamond as needed. If Castro were to play on the infield dirt regularly, that could open up time in the outfield or at DH for potential outfield options like DaShawn Keirsey, Austin Martin, or even top prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez.
In other surprising news water is wet.
Literally came here to say: and also the sun rose
If I throw water onto water does the water become wet?
Yes.
Silly. It clearly becomes wetter.
This is truly remarkable. Genetic predisposition to multiple strains to every muscle group repeatedly over and over? It’s almost so unbelievable it’s farcical. It’s like Holy Heck dude, just stick to Boche Ball and Put-Put.
Why do the twins have the 2 most injury prone players in the game on their roster
If they just had one, their name would make less sense.
finally someone tries to post something funny and it actually is.
Luis Robert would like a word with you.
Aye, raising you a Giancarlo Stanton.
Anthony Rendon says “hold my beer”
Wouldn’t that be the Yankees with any combination of Cole, Gil, DJ, or Stanton?
MLB should create an annual award for most time spent on the IL for the season by a position player. It could be named the Rendon Award.
Yankees fans desperate to make it seem like they have it worse than other teams. DJ and Stanton at least have played 100+ games multiple times in a season during their Yankees tenure. Buxton has two years with 100+ games played in 10 seasons (and missed 21 games in the 60 game covid season in 2020) while Lewis has never played 100 games in a season. I think you guys can let the Twins have this “win”.
Are you talking about Buxton, Correa or Lewis? They kind of have three now.
Steroids does a lot of damage to ligaments. Other than the Astros, the Twins are the most unethical team in baseball.
It apparently does damage to your brain too as you have plainly demonstrated.
MLB needs to investigate him and Buxton for gambling. I think they have a bet going who can be on the IL more.
Just blame their translator…
That only works in Los Angeles…
Twins strength and conditioning crew needs to be overhauled
It has been. Plenty of the twins roster can get through an entire season without much injury. His body is obviously failing him. Not much else that can be done
Well that until strength and condition just pulled an acl stepping out of da car
@darkside830, since Falvey took over baseball ops the strength and conditioning has been overhauled at least three times
If a 25 year old can’t run straight without their body failing them there’s not really much else that can be done.
Lewis and Buxton are some of the biggest ‘what-if’s’ in recent baseball. Sucks that they happen to both be on the same team.
More like what nows in recent baseball, amirite?
Yo Moncada and Tim Anderson say hi
Tim Anderson was a 2x all-star who batted .328 with a 122 OPS+ over 4 seasons. I can see Moncada being sort of a ‘what-if’, but he’s had more healthy seasons than either Buxton or Lewis at this point.
Are some humans just more predisposed to being injured when exerting themselves during a sporting event?
If they’ve had injuries that result in surgery, yes.
Many surgeries are not a miracle fix and result in higher risk of re-inure and issues like general soreness. Bodies need ongoing maintenance after significant surgeries.
A repaired ligament is not as strong as an uninjured one.
Yes. It is odd how rarely this fairly obvious, but very important, point is made.
You’d think it would be obvious but most people haven’t undergone serious sports injuries or surgeries. My sister did many years ago and even though she doesn’t play sports anymore it’s an ongoing issue with soreness and other issues
I reported to General Soreness in the Army.
Shirley, you can’t be serious
He is, Theo… and don’t call him Shirley!
Rnor has it that Buxton got hurt while watching Lewis get hurt…
Rnor?
Rnor, that metal band where they all dress as where the wild thing creatures are
I thought that was GWAR? I have an excuse though, I’m old and dumb.
Rumor…curse my fat fingers!!!
WHat a bad franchise the Twins have had. They should have like 5 pennants in the last 10 years with all that talent. What a waste of a franchise. Not spending money, bad fans,etc
Bad fans? Okay.
I’m done. he’s glassier than Buxton.
But not as gassy
Feel bad for the twinkies
Royce & buxton always hurt, always on DL
Tell us the definition of war
And what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing,..
Lewis and Buxton shouldn’t be Plan A anymore.
He’s put up a whopping 3.4 bWAR over three spotty seasons. It’s not like the Twins are losing Babe Ruth.
More like Baby Ruth next to some Butterfingers. Amirite?
He’s ahead of schedule as last year he at least waited until opening day before he got hurt.
I was watching that game and saw when it happened. Looks like a whole month out.
A month later they’ll still have no update
I’ll wager that he’ll be down a month before starting rehab, and he’ll have at least one setback that keeps him out until the second half of May. And we’re just talking about his first IL placement in 2025.
Glass
He’ll be out till Memorial Day
It’s amazing that with all of the advancements in conditioning, weight training, dieting and technology that players today are in worse shape than Babe Ruth was 100 years ago…
at least they haven’t given him one of those meritless long term contracts
Draft Royce to be my starting 3B, gets hurt not 2 hours later. Sounds about right…
The due is just an injury machine. They keep banking on this kids future and act like most of his injuries are freak injuries but rather or not they are, injured is still injured.
Twins brass need to keep in the back of their minds; dumping the players that are continuously suffering injuries:
Royce Lewis
Mike Tonkin
Matt Canterino
You gotta know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em….
When to walk away and when to run !!
Change the name of this site from “MLBTR” to “Twins latest player to join IL and other MLB news”. Seriously at least 3 posts on the current home page
He’s the new Nick Johnson(look it up if you’re not old enough to remember)
Buxton, OTOH, is pretty much Eric Davis(Davis was probably better at his peak, but the narrative is similar).
The Twins best players seem to be made of glass. Exceedingly talented, but rarely on the lineup card. Correa, Buxton, and Lewis are the MVP’s of the IL list.
WRONG Jose Miranda link. This happens way too often on this site!