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MN Twins Royce Lewis Exits With Injury
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- MN Twins Royce Lewis Exits With Injury
Michael McLoone-Imagn Images Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Twins sent Chris Paddack to the mound hoping for a good start after a pair of ugly games against the Texas Rangers . Unfortunately he wasn't able to continue his strong run of late and things got ugly early.
By the time Paddack exited the game in the 5th inning Houston all but had Minnesota beat. The question then turned to how Rocco Baldelli would get his team to the finish line.
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Royce Lewis has trended upwards offensively since the calendar turned to June. He had three solid batted balls on Friday including his second home run of the season. Then things ended terrible.
Another hamstring injury for Minnesota Twins Royce Lewis
After starting the game 0-for-1 Royce Lewis heated up. He nearly beat Jake Meyers to the right-center gap for a double. In his next at bat he deposited the ball over the left-center field wall for a home run. The MN Twins infielder ripped a ball to left in his final at bat, but what could have been a double never materialized as he pulled up running to first base.
Another brutal development for Royce Lewis. pic.twitter.com/rn53b01em2
— Ted (@tlschwerz) June 14, 2025
Rocco Baldelli said Royce Lewis has a "left hamstring strain of some kind."
"He actually tested relatively well after the game upon examination in the training room. We're going to bring him in tomorrow and check him out, see how he comes in."— Betsy Helfand (@betsyhelfand) June 14, 2025
Lewis connected for a 96.5 mph batted ball off former Twins reliever Steven Okert . It looked like a double off the bat but he didn't make it to first base before what looked like a leg injury slowed him. Both Baldelli and head trainer Nick Paparesta met him at first base and Lewis immediately was walking off the field back to the dugout.
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In Spring Training Lewis suffered a left hamstring strain that kept him out of major league action until May 6 . He slumped mightily during his first month back in action and owned a .130/.200/.203 slash line through his first 20 games.
Since the calendar has turned to June the third baseman has been on a heater. Lewis came into tonight with a .346/.452/.423 line across nine games. Tonight he was 2-for-4 with his second dinger of the season.
Stay hot Royce! pic.twitter.com/wwZbkbnvFM
— Ted (@tlschwerz) June 14, 2025
The Minnesota Twins have already been dealt injury blows to their starting rotation in the form of Pablo Lopez and Zebby Matthews . Bailey Ober is also pitching through some issues . Fortunately the position players are in a healthy spot.
If Royce Lewis is going to miss time, and it is again related to the hamstring injury he suffered during Grapefruit League play , it would be a crushing development. He has come around the past couple of weeks and is an integral part of the lineup.
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Baldelli's quotes seem to suggest a level of optimism postgame, but an injury to the same hamstring Lewis missed multiple weeks for earlier is concerning. The Twins need him healthy and no level of optimism can be considered logical given Lewis and Minnesota's track record.
Lewis has suffered a myriad of lower body injuries over the course of his career. He has never played in more than 82 games during any of his four big league seasons. The surgeries to his knee and soft tissue problems have sapped virtually all of his speed. It's unfortunate to see a guy with such immense talent continue to be bit by the same types of problems.
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