Twins star Royce Lewis leaves spring game with hamstring strain
Twins third baseman Royce Lewis had to exit Sunday’s spring training game after suffering a left hamstring strain. While we don’t know how serious it is yet, there’s a real chance he might not be ready for Opening Day.
This is tough news for the talented 25-year-old who can’t seem to catch a break on the injury front.
When healthy, Lewis has been a force at the plate. He’s hit .268 with 33 home runs in just 152 career games – impressive numbers that show what he can do when he’s on the field.
The problem? Those 152 games have been spread across three seasons.
His body has betrayed him repeatedly with injuries to his oblique, adductor, quad, hamstring, and most seriously, two ACL tears in his right knee.
If Lewis misses time, Jose Miranda will likely step in at third base. Miranda’s no slouch – he hit .284 with a solid 112 OPS+ last season. He just doesn’t have Lewis’s game-changing power potential.
Lewis recently made it clear that staying healthy is his top priority this year.
“I’m not paying attention to the stats,” Lewis told MLB.com. “I want to look at how many games I played this year. I think that is important. If I do that, the numbers will take care of themselves.”
He believes that simply being available consistently will allow his natural talent to shine through.
“As long as you’re there and healthy and are able to help your team win, the number will be there,” he added.
The Twins open their season against the Cardinals on Thursday, March 27, and they’re hoping their young star won’t be watching from the sidelines.
