Gulp: Royce Lewis Leaves Opening Day Game With Right Quad Injury

[Matthew Trueblood]

You didn't think it was going to be smooth sailing, did you? The Minnesota Twins are already facing a worst-case injury scenario, though hopefully, that will turn out to be only in terms of who is hurt, rather than how badly.

Image courtesy of © Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The first few innings of the 2024 season couldn't have gone much better for Royce Lewis. He hit a no-doubt home run in his first plate appearance of the season, and a no-doubt single in his second. He looked like the same dynamic, wonderfully watchable player he was for much of 2023, when he was able to stay on the field between injuries.

Alas, just moments after that single, Lewis was out of the game. Carlos Correa's double into the left-field corner couldn't score Lewis, because the latter pulled up lame between second and third base. So far, all the team has announced is that it's an injury to Lewis's right quad. Edouard Julien took over for him.

Royce Lewis has left the game ?#WeBelieveInTC // #MNTwins pic.twitter.com/xlrrjLoTly

— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) March 28, 2024

The Twins have to have been expecting some missed time for either Byron Buxton or Carlos Correa. Those guys have battled injuries that are often chronic over the last few years, and each is now getting into their 30s. Lewis, though, had to be the healthy ancho for the middle of this lineup. Almost two years clear of his second torn ACL, and given the way he hammered opposing pitching before and after missing time with an oblique strain last summer, it was reasonable to hope that the still-young former first overall pick would finally get a chance to pile up 550 plate appearances in a season and prove his superstar upside.

Now, that (and a whole lot more about the Twins' season) is in very real doubt. We'll have to wait to hear more, as the team undertakes tests and examines their should-be star third baseman.

 

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[PatPfund]

I wouldn’t pull the plug on the season yet. Might be a chance to give Lee a taste of MLB. Or see if Miranda is back, and at least it isn’t another knee.

[Whitey333]

I agree.  But I need to vent lol.  I know these things happen and there is probably no one person or training philosophy to blame.  But I am way beyond frustrated.  Let me at

least blame the " baseball gods" or someone.  Hopefully these players will get back soon.  Lewis?  We just can't have another good player wind up on any long term injury again.  We already have Buxton who's as fragile as a thin piece of glass.

[KirbyHawk75]

I didn't see the game.  Is there a chance they were just using precaution?  

[GNess]

Rough start on the injury front in losing a core player like Lewis. No word yet on the seriousness of it. Let's hope for the best and enjoy Lee's promotion if Lewis is out for some time.

[Mike Sixel]

1 hour ago, PatPfund said:

I wouldn’t pull the plug on the season yet. Might be a chance to give Lee a taste of MLB. Or see if Miranda is back, and at least it isn’t another knee.

Brooks Lee is out for 3-4 weeks, at least....so Miranda or Martin (I'm guessing Miranda) if needed.

[MMMordabito]

Couldn't this have just been part of the game recap/summary 

[Jocko87]

8 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Brooks Lee is out for 3-4 weeks, at least....so Miranda or Martin (I'm guessing Miranda) if needed.

Miranda didn't even bring a third base glove to spring training, I'd have to think he's out of the running at third along with Martin. 

Third might be the one infield position where Farmer fills in and they backfill him, maybe with Castro and bring up an outfielder or Martin.  Larnach hurting too.

This one sucks. 

[Linus]

40 minutes ago, KirbyHawk75 said:

I didn't see the game.  Is there a chance they were just using precaution?  

Just saw the highlight. Pulled quad for sure. This sucks. 

[akmanak]

I am guessing 3-4 months. He needs to go and we need to move on like we should have with Buxton. 

[USAFChief]

24 minutes ago, akmanak said:

I am guessing 3-4 months. He needs to go and we need to move on like we should *of with Buxton. 

*have

[sweetmusicviola16]

This will test how deep we felt this team was this morning. Someone will step up. Right?

[Mike Sixel]

22 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

*have

I don't know why this is so hard. Or why it bothers me. 

[High heat]

To everyone who didn’t want to pay Farmer!  He fills in nicely for few weeks while Royce gets healthy!  
 

Where will Willi Castro get playing time!? Oh wait him and Farmer have 3rd after opening day

[akmanak]

5 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

I don't know why this is so hard. Or why it bothers me. 

It is a control thing. 

[akmanak]

I am really curious on why so many people want to keep a player who has gotten injured time and time again. Why waste the resources?

[jorgenswest]

4 minutes ago, High heat said:

To everyone who didn’t want to pay Farmer!  He fills in nicely for few weeks while Royce gets healthy!  
 

Where will Willi Castro get playing time!? Oh wait him and Farmer have 3rd after opening day

I am fine paying him the 6.25 at last year’s budget level. This year I would have prioritized the smaller budget differently.

Farmer needs to show he can hit right handed pitching. If not, he needs to remain in his short side platoon role and they must look elsewhere to replace Lewis. They can’t put a weak bat at a corner.

[Mike Sixel]

6 minutes ago, akmanak said:

It is a control thing. 

I let almost everything else wash over me, but this one for some reason. A weakness I need to eliminate 

[Parfigliano]

1 hour ago, KirbyHawk75 said:

I didn't see the game.  Is there a chance they were just using precaution?  

No.  Pulled up running.  Noticeable limp in dugout.

[sweetmusicviola16]

32 minutes ago, akmanak said:

I am really curious on why so many people want to keep a player who has gotten injured time and time again. Why waste the resources?

Because of his crazy talent and flare is why you keep him.

But what this latest injury shows us, myself included, is that Royce should not be extended a long term contract without multiple years of good health. You have to learn something from Buxton.

[sweetmusicviola16]

This injury is quite reminiscent of Joe Mauers injury in Game 2 of 2004. In a way.

[stringer bell]

I presume it will be Castro and Farmer at third until Lewis returns. Martin is the far better fit with his ability to play second and outfield. 

[DocBauer]

(THROWS ARMS UP DISGUST)

WTH?!

We come in to camp almost 100% healthy and pretty much everyone is MOSTLY good until the last 2 weeks and suddenly Duran, Thielbar, (I know he was hurt early), and Topa all begin on the IL. And now Royce hurts a quad running the bases in the first game?!

Why, oh why, do the baseball gods pick on the Twins of all the 30 available teams?

I feel as bad for Royce as I do the team. 

And we can't bring up Lee, because he tweaked his back the last game.

(Heavy sigh)

I think Martin is the logical choice to come up. He play some 2B, as well as LF/CF and I'd play Castro at 3B most days. Keep Farmer in his role. 

[nicksaviking]

3 hours ago, KirbyHawk75 said:

I didn't see the game.  Is there a chance they were just using precaution?  

For what it's worth, Lewis wanted to stay in the game. Obviously it was the right decision to remove him though.

I'm not all gloom and doom about it though; my money is on this not being a long term thing. Still, any pulled muscle early in the cold months of the season should hit the IL. I'm looking forward to another young guy getting an unexpected audition. Have to think it's going to be someone already on the 40-man. With Lewis down and Margot of all people picking up RH DH duties today, I doubt it's Larnach, so Miranda, Martin and Severino in that order seem like the most sense, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's Camargo, who might make even more sense as that would allow Jeffers to DH and stay in the lineup every day.

Plus if he shows he's capable and Vazquez becomes a competent hitter again, being able to move Vazquez later this summer and clearing some of his salary could bring back help in other areas for the stretch run.

[FlyingFinn]

16 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

so Miranda, Martin and Severino in that order

I don't think the Twins see Miranda as a third baseman anymore and have him at 1B. Severino is less ready than Martin IMO so I say it will be Martin.

[FlyingFinn]

38 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

And we can't bring up Lee, because he tweaked his back the last game.

In other bad minor league injury news. Canterino and Prielipp both on the 60 Day IL. 

[RpR]

39 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

(THROWS ARMS UP DISGUST)

WTH?!

We come in to camp almost 100% healthy and pretty much everyone is MOSTLY good until the last 2 weeks and suddenly Duran, Thielbar, (I know he was hurt early), and Topa all begin on the IL. And now Royce hurts a quad running the bases in the first game?!

Why, oh why, do the baseball gods pick on the Twins of all the 30 available teams?

I feel as bad for Royce as I do the team. 

And we can't bring up Lee, because he tweaked his back the last game.

(Heavy sigh)

I think Martin is the logical choice to come up. He play some 2B, as well as LF/CF and I'd play Castro at 3B most days. Keep Farmer in his role. 

Martin is not ready for Major League

[singlesoverwalks]

1 hour ago, sweetmusicviola16 said:

This injury is quite reminiscent of Joe Mauers injury in Game 2 of 2004. In a way.

That was exactly what I thought as soon as I saw it.

[nicksaviking]

19 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

I don't think the Twins see Miranda as a third baseman anymore and have him at 1B. Severino is less ready than Martin IMO so I say it will be Martin.

Severino and Martin both probably have a ton to prove still. I'd guess none of these guys play 3B though; Farmer and Castro probably get the gig in all scenarios. 

Edit: Also, it looks like Martin hasn't played 3B since college. He might not have the arm for it.

[DocBauer]

4 minutes ago, FlyingFinn said:

In other bad minor league injury news. Canterino and Prielipp both on the 60 Day IL. 

Expected. Here's hoping both are healthy and ready to throw by mid season.