Minnesota Twins fans have eagerly awaited Royce Lewis’s return to baseball for over a month, and it appears the wait might soon be over. Lewis, who hit a home run in his first at-bat of the season, suffered a quad injury that has kept him out since the third inning of Opening Day. This setback was particularly disappointing as Lewis was being touted as a dark horse MVP candidate, only to be sidelined like many other Twins stars due to injury.
While there’s no definitive timeline for his return, signs are promising. Lewis is currently rehabbing independently and is expected to begin seeing some action in St. Paul before making a triumphant return to the MLB roster.
Lewis’s return means more than just adding a talented player back to the lineup; it provides manager Rocco Baldelli with various lineup options. Ideally, Lewis will be healthy enough to resume his role as the team’s everyday third baseman. This scenario allows the Twins to be flexible with the designated hitter (DH) slot, potentially rotating players like Alex Kirilloff and Edouard Julien to optimize defensive and offensive positions.
A potential lineup with Lewis back at third base could look like this:
– 1B: Carlos Santana / Alex Kirilloff
– 2B: Edouard Julien
– 3B: Royce Lewis
– SS: Carlos Correa
– RF: Max Kepler
– CF: Byron Buxton
– LF: Trevor Larnach
– C: Ryan Jeffers
– DH: Alex Kirilloff / Ryan Jeffers / Edouard Julien
This lineup is strong, especially if Santana can deliver the power expected of him. The depth of the bench, including players like Jose Miranda, Trevor Larnach, and possibly Brooks Lee, adds further strength and flexibility.
However, if Lewis is not ready to play the field and is used as a DH, the lineup might look different:
– 1B: Carlos Santana
– 2B: Edouard Julien
– 3B: Jose Miranda
– SS: Carlos Correa
– RF: Max Kepler
– CF: Byron Buxton
– LF: Alex Kirilloff
– C: Ryan Jeffers
– DH: Royce Lewis
Even in this configuration, the Twins maintain strong bench options and flexibility for future trades or in-house promotions. Potential debutants like Brooks Lee and Emmanuel Rodriguez could contribute this season, and there’s hope for Matt Wallner to figure things out and add value.
Despite current challenges, the future looks bright for the Twins. While relying on in-house talent has been a point of contention, Lewis’s return undeniably strengthens the lineup and offers numerous strategic options. His presence will not only enhance the team’s performance but also provide Baldelli with greater versatility in managing the roster.
