What To Do With Royce Lewis

[Cody Pirkl]

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Royce Lewis was in need of a total reset when the Twins demoted him to Triple-A. He’s mashed since he arrived for the Saints, but the Twins likely aren’t in a hurry to declare him fixed, despite his strong performance. They’ll have to make a decision over the next few weeks and months. What should they do with Lewis if he keeps dominating in the minor leagues?

 

Back To Third Base

Royce has strictly played third base and DH in the minor leagues this season. It’s made a lot of sense at this point, as the priority is for him to find his swing again, and the Twins likely don’t want to add more to his plate. It’s possible his long-term defensive fit remains unchanged, and that whenever the Twins determine he’s ready to return to MLB action, he immediately slots back in at the hot corner.

 

The problem is that the Twins have overhauled the left side of the infield since Lewis’s demotion. It appears the Brooks Lee shortstop experiment is over, as he’s shifted to third base full-time in favor of Tristan Gray and Ryan Kreidler at shortstop. Lee struggled at third base defensively last season, but his skillset should make him a plus defender there, and the defense at shortstop from the two journeymen has been a massive upgrade. Were Lewis recalled and slotted in at third again, there would have to be another position switch afoot for Lee, instead. That feels unlikely.

 

Lewis Plays a New Position

The Twins could always shift Lewis to a different infield spot. Luke Keaschall is far from a lock at second base defensively at this point. Lewis could also move all the way down the defensive spectrum to first base, where the Twins lack a reliable right-handed option. The latter, in particular, could make some sense, especially if they give up on Josh Bell, which would open the DH spot to keep Lewis in the lineup even when Kody Clemens is in the field. If the Twins have this in mind, we’ll know pretty quickly, as Lewis will probably get his feet wet at a new position in Triple-A first.

The problem here is obvious. Lewis might not be a big fan of changing positions. The Twins tried to add second base to his repertoire a few years ago, and he made it known publicly that he was not in support of this. Perhaps with time to get comfortable at a new spot in St. Paul, he would be more receptive, but it’s difficult to say how flexible Lewis is willing to be for this organization at this point in his career.

 

Mutual Parting Of Ways

If Lewis doesn’t fit in the Twins’ plans as they move forward—or if he doesn’t want to—there’s a world where the Twins find a trade partner to make everybody happy. While going on an offensive tear in Triple-A doesn’t have nearly the impact of showing he can still do it in MLB, it’s better than being demoted and struggling, which would wipe away all trade value. It’s not impossible that another team sees an adjustment Lewis can make and would make an offer that can help the Twins in some way, even if the value isn’t anywhere near what it was two years ago.

 

This would be a disappointing end to Lewis’s tenure with the Twins, but it can’t be ruled out. Even if Lewis himself doesn’t want a fresh start elsewhere, the Twins are likely pondering whether they foresee him returning to the status of a potential core player for this team. If they’re uncertain about this belief, the continued quotes blaming the organization for his nearly two years of struggles likely aren’t helping the case for keeping him. Derek Falvey is gone, and the remaining front office is not the same one that drafted Lewis first overall in 2017. Anything could happen.

 

Lewis has taken a big step back in status and priority level within the Twins' plans. The Twins have several options for moving forward with him should he continue to produce in Triple-A. Which option would you prefer they take?

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[Brock Beauchamp]

Shoot him into space?

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Someone needs to sub - in for TC Bear once in a while.  That could be Royce.  

[Nshore]

What matters most IMO is how Lewis looks at the plate.  If he's still tap dancing and lunging around up there, swinging at balls out of the zone, mystified by off speed pitches, or missing meatballs, it doesn't matter if he's "tearing it up".