When the Twins placed Royce Lewis on the injured list due to a severe quadriceps strain on Opening Day, the third baseman was expected to be out for a couple of months.
Now, just over two months later, his return is imminent.
Lewis is expected to rejoin the team on Tuesday when the Twins face the Yankees in a road series starting at 6:05 p.m. CT in the Bronx. This is an exciting prospect for both Lewis and the Twins, who are eager to welcome back one of their most dynamic players.
To make room on the roster, it seems the Twins have optioned second baseman Edouard Julien to Triple-A St. Paul. Although the club has not officially announced the move, it appears on the transition log on the Twins’ official website.
Lewis’s return follows a rehab process he described as the most mentally challenging of his career, partly due to the uncertainty of his recovery timeline. Recently, he played a six-game rehab stint with the Triple-A Saints, going 4 for 23 in those games.
While Lewis was out, Jose Miranda primarily covered third base for the Twins. Last season, Miranda was limited at this position due to a shoulder issue that also affected his performance at the plate.
Miranda, who went 2 for 4 with two RBIs in the Twins’ Sunday win at Houston, has hit .280 with a .780 OPS this season, showing the same level of productivity as in his rookie season in 2022. This performance helped him stay on the roster, making Julien the odd man out.
After a strong rookie season, Julien has not achieved the same success at the plate this year and admitted last month that it had taken a mental toll. A stint in Triple-A should allow him to reset in a less pressured environment.
“It’s been tough. Mentally you just start doubting your routine and approach. Every day you don’t succeed as much as last year,” Julien said in May. “I expect myself to be better or the same as last year. Not doing as well adds a lot more pressure. You just have to be mentally tough and persistent, trusting that everything will work out.”
