Minnesota Twins rising star Royce Lewis was removed from the team's matchup against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. As he prepares for an MRI, Lewis isn't feeling too confident.
The infielder is dealing with left groin tightness. Not his first injury of the season, Lewis already sees a murky future when it comes to his prognosis, via the Associated Press.
“Probably not very optimistic, to be honest with you,” Lewis said. “I'm praying, but it's usually always horrible news. So we'll see.”
“What I can control, I'm very happy about, but this is out of my control,” Lewis continued. “I have no idea.”
Lewis was removed defensively in the top of the sixth inning. Unable to run or perform at 100 percent, manager Rocco Baldelli knew the best move was to take him out of the game completely.
“He had to come out,” Baldelli said. “He just wasn't moving the way that he needs to move in the game, and it was just the smart thing to get him off the field.”
With continued discomfort, Lewis was ultimately scheduled to undergo an MRI. Both he and the Twins will have more answers once the results come back. Each party is hoping that actual prognosis is better than what Royce Lewis initially fears.
Royce Lewis shows star power with Twins
Prior to getting removed from Tuesday's contest, Lewis went 1-for-2 with two RBI. His two-run scoring double in the third innings got the opened up the scoring in the contest. It was a taste of how important Lewis has been to the Twins' offense when healthy.
Over 24 games in 2024, Lewis is hitting .292 with 10 home runs and 18 RBI. He ranks fourth on the team in home runs and would rank third in batting average if he were eligible. Minnesota knows they're a better squad when Lewis is on the diamond.
However, injuries have held the infielder back from truly reaching his full potential. He hasn't appeared in more than 58 games over his first three years in the league. Lewis has torn his ACL twice and strained his quadriceps on Opening Day. He knows all too well what it's like to be stung by the injury bug.
He's hoping that this time is different, but it's hard to stay optimistic after so much heartbreak. The Twins are trying to keep their heads up as well, as their 48-37 record puts them six games behind the first place Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. They currently command the second Wild Card spot and will be looking to hold onto their positioning.
That will be much more difficult for the Twins without Royce Lewis in the lineup. Once his MRI results are back, Minnesota will know if they need to place him on the injured list. While he isn't feeling too positive now, Lewis' spirits would be lifted with a clean bill of health and his groin pain continually subsiding.
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