Twins activate 3B Royce Lewis from IL, set to return Tuesday at Yankees
Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (23) smiles as he rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning of an MLB Opening Day game between the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals Mar 28, 2024 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, M ((Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis has played all of three innings this season, but he’s set to return to the lineup Tuesday night as they start a three-game series against the New York Yankees.
Lewis has been sidelined since having to leave Opening Day at the Kansas City Royals in the third inning, suffering a right quadriceps injury while running the bases. Lewis homered in his first at-bat of the season and had two hits in that game. He has been out more than two months, a total of 58 games, while the Twins are 33-26 and in third place in the American League Central Division.
The Twins activated Lewis from the injured list, and he’s set to be in the lineup Tuesday night in the Bronx. He did a six-game rehab stint with the St. Paul Saints, where he was 4-for-23 with a double, one walk and eight strikeouts.
"We're a better team when Royce is out there and playing third base for us regularly," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "We can move everybody around and make it all work, but when you add him back into the lineup, we're a better club."
To make room for Lewis on the roster, the Twins optioned Edouard Julien to St. Paul. Lewis can hit, he can field, he's a mainstay at third base and he has an infectious personality that rubs off on all his teammates. They're more than happy to have him back.
The Twins have 25 games over the next 27 days. Assuming all goes well over the next week, Lewis will make his 2024 Target Field debut next Monday night against the Colorado Rockies.