Twins Haven't Made Decision On Royce Lewis' Position Yet
Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said at the MLB winter meetings on Tuesday that the club hasn't decided yet if third baseman Royce Lewis will shift from the hot corner to second base in 2025. Baldelli also said that Lewis has been taking ground balls at the keystone this offseason just in case, and the skipper is confident that Lewis has the skill set to be able to make a successful transition to second if the team asks him to do so. The 25-year-old made one start at second in 2024 but could play regularly there in 2025, depending on what the rest of Minnesota's roster looks like come spring training. The former first overall pick has some of the best pop from the right side in baseball, but he's already torn his ACL twice and hasn't played more than 82 games in his first three seasons in MLB. Lewis is a risk/reward power bat that could become a lot more attractive if he gains second base eligibility.
Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis could see more time at the keystone next year. Lewis started one game at second in 2024, but more playing time there in 2025 could allow infielder Jose Miranda to spend more time at the hot corner if the Twins add a regular first baseman to replace free agent Carlos Santana. "Some of that will depend on the personnel we acquire, don't acquire and how that all shakes out," president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said of Lewis at second base. "We want him to stay open-minded to that and we'll have that conversation." The former first overall pick in 2017 probably makes more sense from a defensive standpoint at second because of his poor throwing accuracy. Offensively, Lewis is one of the better young power bats in the game, although he's been extremely injury-prone in his first three MLB seasons.
Royce Lewis Making First Career Start At Second Base
Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis is making his first career major-league start at second base and will bat in the two-hole in Wednesday's contest against the Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Cole Sulser at Tropicana Field. Jose Miranda will man the hot corner and hit cleanup for the Twins. Minnesota may want to transition Lewis to the keystone because of some throwing issues he's had on defense at third base recently. It remains to be seen if this is a permanent move going forward, but if it is, it will only make the 25-year-old former first overall pick that much more attractive in fantasy. Injuries have been Lewis' biggest obstacle early in his MLB career, but in just 59 games in 2024, he's already set a new career-high with 16 home runs to go along with 44 RBI in 235 plate appearances. Lewis is a must-start for his power alone in fantasy.
Minnesota Twins infielder Royce Lewis is taking a seat ahead of Sunday's game against the Texas Rangers. This appears to be a routine rest day for Lewis so fantasy managers don't need to be concerned about an injury. Lewis has collected three hits in this series, so him sitting out isn't due to poor performance. The expectation is he'll be back in the lineup after this contest. Jose Miranda will cover third base and bat second versus right-hander Tyler Mahle on Sunday. Miranda is one of the biggest surprises in baseball with a .308 batting average and nine home runs with 46 RBI in 93 games. He should be rostered in most fantasy formats with the way he's swinging the bat.
Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis hit his 15th homer in Monday's 8-3 win over the Kansas City Royals. Lewis' two-run shot off Brady Singer capped off a six-run second inning for the Twins as he finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored. He is batting .279/.356/.664 with 34 RBI and 28 runs scored while equaling his 2023 home run total in just 40 games. Lewis' 1.021 OPS would be second to New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge if he was able to avoid injury this season. He is a must-start in all fantasy formats, and as long as he's in the lineup, Lewis is a top-end run producer.
Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis is getting the day off at Wrigley Field against the hosting Chicago Cubs. With Lewis on the bench to start, Jose Miranda will make the start at third base and bat third, with Matt Wallner serving as the designated hitter and batting cleanup against Cubs right-hander Javier Assad. Lewis will take a seat after starting each of the team's last eight games. The 25-year-old right-handed slugger has started off the month of August by going 5-for-17 (.294) with three home runs, a double and 10 RBI in five games for the Twins. The former first overall pick in 2017 has been as injury-prone as they come early in his big-league career, but when healthy, he's a must-start in fantasy with elite power production. Lewis currently has 14 homers, 31 RBI and a .280 average (35-for-125) in only 35 games in 2024.
Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in a 7-3 loss against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. He was responsible for one of the three Minnesota hits, scoring two of the three runs in Tuesday's loss. The former No. 1 overall pick has been dealing with injuries and limited to just 35 games this season. He is slashing .280/.357/.680 with 14 HR and 31 RBI across 143 plate appearances in 2024. As the Twins fight for a playoff spot, they will look for Lewis to keep swinging the bat well and help lead them down the stretch.
Minnesota Twins DH Royce Lewis had a big night in his team's 10-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Lewis went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, a walk, and four RBI to help power the Twins to the win. The young slugger kicked off the scoring with a two-run homer in the first inning on a blast that traveled 409 feet with an exit velocity of 105.7 MPH. He later came back and added a two-run double in the fourth inning. Lewis is now hitting .286 with eight doubles, 12 homers, 21 runs, and 25 RBI across 112 at-bats this season. He has done that in just 31 games thanks to two separate stints on the injured list. Fantasy gamers and Twins fans will hope for a clean bill of health over the final two months of the season.
The Minnesota Twins reinstated third baseman Royce Lewis (groin) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and optioned catcher Jair Camargo to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding move. The Twins haven't posted their starting lineup for Friday's series opener on the road in Detroit against the division-rival Tigers, but Lewis should be back at third base. The oft-injured Lewis has recovered from a groin strain that he suffered in early July and should be returned to all starting fantasy lineups this weekend because of his elite power. The 25-year-old former first overall pick has had trouble staying on the field early in his career, but when he's active, he's been a beast at the plate. In only 24 games in 2024, Lewis has a 1.039 OPS, 10 home runs and 18 RBI in 99 plate appearances.
Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (groin) took part in an on-field running test on Monday and will start a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A St. Paul. Lewis is targeting just two games with the Saints, so he could rejoin the Twins in time to catch Wednesday's charter flight to Detroit and be active for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Tigers. It's been only a few weeks since he initially landed on the 10-day injured list with a groin strain, so Lewis isn't expected to need more than two rehab games. The 25-year-old right-handed slugger and former first overall pick in 2017 should not be floating around on any waiver wires. Despite frequently being injured, Lewis is a high-end, must-start fantasy asset when he's in the Twins' lineup, and he figures to be back with the team by this weekend.
Royce Lewis
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