Royce Lewis emerged during the 2023 MLB playoffs, helping the Minnesota Twins end a mind-boggling postseason losing streak and advance to the American League Division Series. They ultimately fell short against the Houston Astros, but that October display was supposed to be a forerunner to a successful MLB career. Alas, the former No. 1 overall draft pick has played in just 112 games in the last two seasons. Injuries have severely halted his momentum.

And there is no sign of that stopping. The Twins third baseman is headed back on the injured list with a hamstring injury, according to Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. It is apparently on the milder side, but fans will hesitate to express any optimism when it comes to Lewis' health. He missed the first six weeks of the season due to the same issue, so there is no telling how long it will take for him to revert to his top form.

The 26-year-old slugger is barely batting above the Mendoza Line and has a measly two home runs and nine RBIs through 99 at-bats this year. He managed to wield phenomenal power in a limited sample size in 2024, mashing 16 homers in 82 games, but perhaps the physical toll of enduring continuous recoveries is starting to show. Hopefully, Royce Lewis still has time to avoid becoming the latest “what could have been” story.

Twins are going through it

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Dark clouds are circling Minnesota, as it suffers one brutal blow after another. A day after Lewis exited a 10-3 loss to the Astros, star center fielder Byron Buxton sustained an elbow contusion after getting hit with a pitch. He retreated to the clubhouse, and the Twins lost again, 3-2.

This ballclub's 13-game winning streak in May feels like a distant memory now. Minnesota (36-34) has dropped three straight and seven of its last nine, falling nine games behind the first-place Detroit Tigers in the American League Central. Fans are desperate to experience that 2023 playoffs euphoria once again, but that is difficult to envision at this present moment.

The Twins hope to avoid a sweep in Daikin Park on Sunday afternoon.