MIAMI -- Royce Lewis is back.
The uber-talented third baseman rejoined the Twins’ lineup Tuesday night at loanDepot park after missing over two weeks with a strained left hamstring.
He got right to work offensively, smoking a double down the left-field line in his first at-bat. Lewis registered Minnesota’s fifth-hardest hit ball of the night (per Statcast) with the two-bagger, turning on a 97.4 mph sinker from Edward Cabrera. Lewis also flashed his defensive leather and plus arm strength at third, recording two assists on ground balls.
Lewis’ double -- which came with one out in the third inning -- marked Minnesota’s first hit of the night. The Twins were unable to capitalize on the runner in scoring position, however, as their next two hitters went down via strikeout.
The inning was a microcosm of the Twins’ performance at the plate in the series opener, as they mustered just two hits in their 2-0 loss. It’s the second straight game Minnesota has been blanked in the run column, after Tarik Skubal and the Tigers dominated the offense on Sunday.
The Twins’ plate performance clouded what was a doozy of an outing for starter Joe Ryan. Ryan, who entered Tuesday with an 8-3 record, went seven innings against Miami, striking out four and allowing one earned run.
“Joe pitched great,” manager Rocco Baldelli said postgame. “He basically did exactly what he wanted to. … That’s what you want to see from your starting pitching.”
Baldelli was adamant that Ryan is deserving of an All-Star bid this year. And while he didn’t see the production he would’ve liked from his offense Tuesday, he believes Lewis will boost its potency.
The 26-year-old has spent more time out of the lineup than in it this season. While Tuesday marked his 31st game of the year, he missed the season’s first 35 contests due to another hamstring strain in the same leg.
He hit .202 with two homers and nine RBIs after joining the Twins on May 6, but went out again on June 14. In three rehab assignment games with Triple-A St. Paul, he went 0-for-8 with a walk.
“[I’m] feeling good,” Lewis said after his double. “[Cabrera’s] a tough pitcher, he executed very well tonight. He’s always had really good stuff since I faced him in High-A a long time ago. … Some guys just have elite talent, and you’ve just got to work as hard as you can to execute when they make mistakes. Lucky enough I got one that was up in the zone.”
Lewis’ talent has been well-documented since he was a star shortstop at JSerra Catholic High School in California. The first overall pick in the 2017 Draft, Lewis has flashed his potential in doses since making his Major League debut in 2022. His star shone especially bright in 2023, when he posted a 2.4 WAR alongside a .309/.372/.548 slash line, and 15 homers.
But injuries have plagued the now-third baseman. For him, the goal is maintaining good health.
“No expectations,” Lewis said of his mindset as a former No. 1 pick. “I feel like I made my dream come true.
“So now it’s just trying to stay healthy. I hate the stop and start. It really affects me at the plate, I mean everywhere, honestly. When you’re not allowed to play, and then you play a couple weeks, then you go down, it’s really hard. Like [Byron Buxton] -- I want to have a season where he’s having, where he’s playing fully healthy, not worried about anything, showing his true full talent on the field. … I would like to have a season like that one year, but I’m just trying to start right there, right now.”
Buxton is having perhaps his best season thus far, having already mashed 19 homers and stolen 15 bags.
Both Lewis and the Twins are aware of the threat he poses when he’s on the field. For Lewis, the focus is just that -- staying on the field. The rest, in his eyes, will take care of itself.