Royce Lewis has given the Minnesota Twins a much-needed boost in his first week back from an ACL injury. In his 2023 debut against the Houston Astros, Lewis drove in four runs, with a three-run home run in the third inning followed by a game-tying RBI single with the Twins down to their final out in the ninth inning.
He followed that up with another huge game-tying hit on Thursday night. This time it was a two-run homer in the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians that made the score 6-6 in a game the Twins eventually won in a walk-off. His production at the plate has earned him plenty of praise.
On Thursday, Hall of Famer Rod Carew tweeted, “I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. This kid is special.”
One of the qualities that makes Lewis so special? His ability to make adjustments on the fly at the plate and in the field.
Let’s go back to Lewis’ game-tying RBI single in Houston. With the Astros leading 5-4, he came up with two men on and the Twins down to their last out. Lewis had already homered in the game with two runners on. In such an important moment, other players might try to swing for the fences and give their team the lead. Instead, Lewis focused on putting the ball in play, and he ended up getting a clutch base hit to send the game to extras. It was an excellent example of his maturity as a player, even as a rookie.
He does not worry about trying to be the hero. Instead, he does what he needs to help the team win.
Lewis came up in another huge situation against the Guardians on Thursday. With the Twins trailing by two in the eighth with a runner on, he drilled a home run to dead center on a 1-1 pitch. This also shows how he is able to make adjustments at the plate based on the situation. Lewis doesn’t have to hit a ball into the seats in a key moment, but he is certainly capable of doing so. Need a hitter who can just put the ball in play to drive in a run and extend the game? He can do that. Need someone to hit for power and give the team and the fans a jolt? He can do that, too. That kind of versatility is a huge boost to any baseball team, and the Twins certainly needed a boost offensively.
As big of a contributor as he has been at the plate, Lewis has also shown that he can do a lot in the field. He has exclusively played third base this year, but Lewis is also capable of playing shortstop. As of right now, Carlos Correa is Minnesota’s everyday shortstop, so Lewis has shown flexibility by playing third with aplomb. His willingness to change positions in the field will come in handy in case Correa or Jorge Polanco get injured, and someone else is needed to play second base or shortstop. Lewis has been willing to switch positions even though he tore his ACL when he played center field last year. It may be outside of his comfort zone to play third, but Lewis is still up for the challenge if it means helping the team succeed.
Before the Twins called him up last week, many fans were clamoring for Lewis to join the big league club on social media. Minnesota has had inconsistent results in the past several weeks, and fans desperately wanted them to add Lewis to the roster to give the team a spark. However, they could not activate Lewis until May 29 because they placed him on the injured list at the start of the season.
Although it may have been an overreaction to expect Lewis to “save the season,” he has already contributed in a huge way in his first week back in the majors. Offensive struggles have plagued the Twins for much of the year. The versatility he has at the plate has paid off thus far. If he is able to keep this up all season and remain healthy, he could be a crucial part of Minnesota’s pursuit of their first playoff win since 2004.
