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Minnesota Twins Superstar Suffers Spring Training Injury
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- Minnesota Twins Superstar Suffers Spring Training Injury
Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Twins are just ten days from Opening Day. They currently hold a 9-10-3 record in Grapefruit League play down in Fort Myers. While they have been dealt some injuries on the pitching side , and with some for their top hitting prospects , it's been a mostly healthy Spring Training.
But that seems to have changed in a big way on Sunday afternoon, against the Boston Red Sox , when Royce Lewis — who has never played more than 82 games in a single season — exited the game during the second inning with what has been diagnosed as a hamstring strain.
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Royce Lewis exits with hamstring injury for Minnesota Twins
It happened after Royce rapped a ball down the third base line, off of Boston starter Garrett Crochet . As he began to hit full speed down the first base line, he pulled up lame, grabbing his left leg halfway to first base.
Here's the video of Lewis' injury. pic.twitter.com/jn0rhlRixs
— Ted (@tlschwerz) March 16, 2025
On Opening Day 2024, after Lewis hit a home run in his first at bat of the season, he was pulled from the game after rounding second base and suffering a non-contact leg injury much like what happened in the video above. This time around, it now appears as if he may not even make it to Opening Day.
Lewis will have an MRI on Monday and that will determine the severity of the injury as well as the plan moving forward.
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Related: Death, Taxes and MN Twins Bullpen Injuries Down in Fort Myers
Before Royce even made it to first base there were groans and expletives let out from the crowd. Rocco Baldelli emerged from the dugout with head trainer Nick Paparesta. Lewis was hunched over at first base for a time, and ultimately left the field under his own power. Minnesota officially announced the injury as a hamstring strain.
Lewis busted it out of the box and grabbed at his left hamstring halfway down the line. He's coming out of the game. pic.twitter.com/nH5YTDtew8
— Ted (@tlschwerz) March 16, 2025
Through three professional seasons Lewis has played just 152 total games . He has hit 16 and 15 home runs in the past two seasons respectively, but his inability to remain on the field has been a serious bugaboo.
Last season Lewis experienced struggle for his first time as a professional. He slashed just .233/.295/.452 and endured a late-season slump that helped to crater the Twins postseason chances.
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Injury history is long for Minnesota Twins Royce Lewis
Of course this injury is just the latest in a litany of them for the former first overall pick. He has torn his right ACL twice as well as multiple soft tissue injuries including his oblique, adductor, and quadricep.
It's been a series of setbacks for Lewis over the course of his career. He remains an incredibly upbeat and jovial personality that pushes to be out on the field. Unfortunately his body consistently is getting in the way. The exact thing that allows him to compete at such a high level is also the same thing that keeps him off the field.
Minnesota has had to hold their breathe with regards to the roster makeup in recent seasons. Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton are often also a constant concern, and that leaves Baldelli wondering which players he can count on to lead the lineup.
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Royce Lewis' injury changes MN Twins roster
The injury to Royce Lewis puts his chances of making the Opening Day roster in serious doubt. Even if the hamstring strain is mild, he will be down for a matter of days and time is running out. There is just 10 days left until Minnesota opens in St. Louis against the Cardinals .
Related: MLB Insider Tags Former MN Twins Top Prospect as Breakout Star
Brooks Lee is a player that the Twins wanted to see go out and win the starting second base job. Willi Castro made that a difficult proposition though, and he was likely to get most of his at bats there. If Lewis isn't on the roster then Baldelli will turn to that tandem when writing out second and third base spots.
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It's unfortunate that Lewis is again on the shelf. He has become far too familiar with Paparesta and the training room. Lewis was having a strong spring and owns a .346/.469/.423 slash line with a pair of doubles in 12 Grapefruit League games .
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