The 7 Biggest Decisions for the Twins’ Offseason: Does Royce Lewis Fit?

[Cody Christie]

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Twins entered the 2026 season hoping Royce Lewis could finally put together the kind of consistent campaign that his talent has always suggested was possible. Instead, the former No. 1 overall pick enters the offseason facing perhaps the biggest question of his career: Does he still fit into the organization's plans?

There is plenty of history tying Lewis to the Twins. Minnesota selected him first overall in the 2017 MLB Draft, and the organization has continued to invest opportunities in him despite injuries and inconsistent stretches at the plate. When Derek Shelton took over as manager last October, Lewis was the first player he visited for a one-on-one meeting.

Now, the relationship has reached a crossroads. Lewis stayed healthier in 2026, spending only 10 days on the injured list, but his offensive performance remained a significant concern. He finished the season hitting .227/.287/.380 with 15 home runs, 24 doubles and an 86 OPS+.

Twins general manager Jeremy Zoll acknowledged the progress in Lewis' availability but made it clear that the next step has to come at the plate.

“His performance on the field, obviously, had ups and downs,” Zoll said in the organization’s end-of-season press conference. “For Royce that success just comes down to being more consistent over longer stretches. We’d love to find a way to figure that out and to have him become the impact player that he’s shown at various points along the way.”

That leaves Minnesota with another major offseason decision.

The Pros of Keeping Lewis

The easiest argument for keeping Lewis is that the Twins have already seen what he can become. His 2023 season provided a glimpse of the player Minnesota envisioned when it selected him first overall. Lewis hit .309/.372/.548 with 15 home runs in only 58 games that season. He followed that up with a memorable postseason in which he hit four home runs in six playoff games.

Those flashes haven't completely disappeared. The problem has been finding them consistently enough. Lewis also stayed relatively healthy in 2026 compared to previous seasons. He appeared in 125 games, easily surpassing his previous career high of 106 games. That matters for a player whose availability has been one of the biggest concerns throughout his career.

There is also some potential defensive value in moving him around the diamond. Lewis has experience at third base, shortstop, second base and first base. Minnesota used him periodically at second base during the season, where he showed some positive defensive metrics in a relatively small sample. If the Twins believe the offensive player they saw in 2023 is still in there, keeping Lewis gives them another opportunity to find that version of him.

There is also a financial element. Lewis remains under team control through 2028, although he is entering his third offseason of arbitration eligibility. MLB Trade Rumors estimates he'll make about $5.1 million in arbitration next year. The Twins don't have to make a long-term commitment to find out whether he can rebound. They can simply give him another opportunity.

The Cons of Keeping Lewis

The biggest problem is that the evidence is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Lewis' recent offensive production has been well below what the Twins need from a player who was once viewed as a foundational piece. Since the 2024 All-Star break, he has hit .226/.282/.376 with an 82 wRC+, which places him well below league average over a substantial sample.

That creates a difficult roster-building question. If Lewis is going to remain in Minnesota, the Twins could move him into more of a platoon role at second base. That would allow the organization to pursue a better offensive player at first base, where the offensive expectations are considerably higher.

That could be an important distinction. First base is one of the easiest positions on the diamond to upgrade offensively through free agency or a trade. If the Twins believe Lewis can provide adequate defense and enough offense at second, they can use their resources to find a legitimate run producer at first.

But if Lewis can't hit enough to hold down second base, the entire plan becomes much more complicated. The Twins have already spent several seasons waiting for Lewis' bat to stabilize. At some point, the organization has to determine whether another opportunity is development or simply repetition.

What Would the Timeline Look Like?

The first major deadline comes in November. Lewis was arbitration eligible for the first time last winter and earned $2.85 million. Minnesota must decide whether to tender him a contract for 2027 by the league's tender deadline, which typically falls on the Friday before Thanksgiving. A non-tender would make Lewis a free agent.

A trade could happen before that deadline, although the Twins don't have to rush into a decision. Minnesota can continue evaluating Lewis' market while also exploring other options at second base and first base. But if they do offer arbitration and can't find a trade partner, they're on the hook for roughly a $5M salary in 2027.

If the Twins tender Lewis, they could negotiate a one-year arbitration contract or potentially explore a longer-term arrangement. The organization has used both approaches with arbitration-eligible players, although it has generally preferred to settle before arbitration hearings.

The timing of a potential trade could be particularly interesting. Minnesota could attempt to move Lewis before the tender deadline, when another team would be acquiring a player with multiple years of control remaining. Or the Twins could keep him through the winter, determine how their roster comes together and make a decision later. The biggest question is what they believe Lewis' trade value looks like compared to his potential value in Minnesota.

There isn't an easy answer with Lewis. The Twins have legitimate reasons to keep him. He's still relatively young, has multiple years of team control remaining and has demonstrated the ability to be an impact player at the major-league level. His improved availability in 2026 also removes one of the biggest concerns surrounding his future.

But the offensive decline cannot be ignored. Minnesota needs to build a more productive offense, and Lewis has now produced below-average offensive numbers for a significant stretch. If the Twins keep him, they need a clear plan rather than simply hoping another season produces a different result.

That could mean moving him to second base, giving him a defined role and using first base as an opportunity to add offense elsewhere. Or it could mean deciding that the best way forward for both sides is a trade and a change of scenery for Lewis. 

The Twins don't have to give up on Lewis this offseason. But they do have to decide what they believe he can become, where he fits, and how much longer they are willing to wait for that player to emerge.

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Will the Twins keep Lewis this winter? What could his role look like on the 2027 Twins? Leave a comment and start the discussion. 

 

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[MackMan]

Personally, I would say get rid of him. But that would only be thru a trade of some sort. Tender him the contract, go to arbitration and hope the mediator thinks the # we submit is the better option for him. Then we maybe work on an extension during spring training while we give him a shot as a platoon bat for 2nd base and 1st base. Of course this all banking that we sign a LH hitting 1st baseman. Now if he is able to change his approach and be a bit more selective at the plate, awesome.

The biggest thing I can see (eye test) when he is batting is that here is too much movement from his back leg, at least compared to other swings from players on the team.. To me, it looks as if he just isn't stable or doesn't trust that leg to bear his weight when swinging. Maybe another off-season of working with our hitting staff (of course this pending we don't have a lockout) could potentially unlock what we needed. As much as I would love a 30-35+ HR from Lewis, I just don't think that is realistic. I would settle with 25+HR's and average defense with him. 

[bean5302]

I don't see how he fits with the Twins. I also don't see him having surplus trade value. Shelton outright said he couldn't play SS so the utility is limited as well. No idea where the Twins are going to try and play guys next year. We have like 10 utility players.

[mluebker]

He’s become Kody Clemens Lite, but without the defensive chops and versatility. Time to do him and the fans a favor by sending him elsewhere and hoping the change of scenery allows him to thrive.

[SarasotaBill]

He's a no doubt cut.

Use his money, Ober money, and more money for a 1B upgrade.

1B upgrade could be a free agent or a salary dump when teams need to lower payroll for the proposed new salary cap.

[old nurse]

They have him playing first base. What they thought of Sabato was shown in his call up. Caratini did a Vasquez lite infatuation. I doubt anyone thought that was possible, but Surprise, he did.  That leaves free agency, There is always a chance they can get another fountain of youth season out of an aged veteran player. It happens. So does Caratini.  Bauers and Bohn have each had one good year in their career. An analytical organization would shy away from big money for them. Career years regress quickly, see Lopez, Felix. They did not think much of Bell’s glove at first. Barring a trade, or a position switch for an outfielder, Lewis at an inexpensive for baseball contract might be as good as they can get for the value. I doubt he is going anywhere 

[tony&rodney]

A decision should be made before November with a move completed before Thanksgiving. There will be some interest but the return for Lewis will be minimal but perhaps a decent return occurs if he is part of a larger deal. The Twins have practiced the waiting routine too many times. Act asap.

While Royce has value as a utility player (1B, 2B, 3B, DH), I'm not sure this would be a comfortable move for him. Perhaps Lewis thrives with his new team but hoping, hoping, and hoping some more should not be a strategy the Twins have for Royce Lewis. 

[Trov]

I remember it was just a couple years ago when there was articles of signing him to a long term deal buying out his arb years and a year or two of FA.  Now we have an article of do we DFA him two years before he walks. It shows how there is major risk to a long term contract on a prospect. 

I do not feel he is a no doubt cut, but you have to be willing to eat some money if he falters quickly.  You cannot ignore what he did, but look at a few other guys we were so excited about from their early times with Twins and what happened to them.  Miranda, Wallner, and Julien all had great stretches, but are not MLB level talent anymore. 

I would DFA him and move on.  He seems to be a bit of a headache to deal with.  He does not have a clear defensive home, and his offense is below average to unplayable at times.  Outside of a nice stretch during our hot streak he was terrible. 

[terrydactyls]

The entire arbitration system needs to be either redone or removed.  If the arbitration estimate is close, Lewis gets a 75% salary increase for being a 20% below average player.  I wish there was a system like this where (and when) I used to work.

[MackMan]

45 minutes ago, terrydactyls said:

The entire arbitration system needs to be either redone or removed.  If the arbitration estimate is close, Lewis gets a 75% salary increase for being a 20% below average player.  I wish there was a system like this where (and when) I used to work.

I'd love to be able to do less (productive) work and get paid more. That would be something interesting to try...🤔🤔🤔

[DJL44]

The Twins paid Kyle Farmer over $6M a season. They can pay Royce $5M to be a utility infielder.

If they bring in one of the left-handed hitting second basemen, then he has a role to play. If they sign Gleyber Torres, he’s redundant.

I think it is fascinating that Baseball Reference lists Jose Bautista as a comparable player for Royce.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, terrydactyls said:

The entire arbitration system needs to be either redone or removed.  If the arbitration estimate is close, Lewis gets a 75% salary increase for being a 20% below average player.  I wish there was a system like this where (and when) I used to work.

The problem isn’t with the arbitration system. It is just acknowledging that the MLB minimum is a massive underpayment for the overwhelming majority of players.

[twinssporto]

I'll probably get run outta here on a rail, but honestly, if his arbitration is $5mm or so I say keep him but be ready to move on quickly. He probably belongs at 2nd base as well. The guy is an athlete, and when he is on, he really is on.

The streaky hitting makes me nuts, though...

[Parfigliano]

Bye bye Mr Lewis.  Best of luck.

[Dave Lemke]

I believe you give him another year. Leave him at first base daily. Possibly a chance to improve his hitting without changing positions again. At 5 million he might surprise. Not an extravagant cost by any means.

[Andy MacPhail]

I had loved Lewis & had high hopes for him, even being a Boras client. He had the talent, fire & character to be a MVP, plus it seemed he liked MN. He's a good 3Bman, not bad 1Bman or 2Bman & can be pretty darn good, given enough time. But his bat is broken like so many promising young players before him. I think he can turn it around, but not with MN. With his high price tag that'll come; the handwriting is on the wall. Twins have functioned on hope (that's not enough) with players like Sano, Julian & Wallner only to see their stock dwindle to nothing. IMO, his current frame of mind with the Twins, makes it unfortunately difficult for him to come close to the player we hoped him to be. His stock is down but maybe we can find a team that has a need, framework & vision for Lewis where he can flourish. Sadly, IMO, Lewis is not indispensable at this point. 

[wesnewy]

if we think they can actually fill 1B with someone better than replacement level then it's a no brainer, but if not then keeping Royce at 5M isn't so bad 

[old nurse]

49 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The Twins paid Kyle Farmer over $6M a season. They can pay Royce $5M to be a utility infielder.

If they bring in one of the left-handed hitting second basemen, then he has a role to play. If they sign Gleyber Torres, he’s redundant.

I think it is fascinating that Baseball Reference lists Jose Bautista as a comparable player for Royce.

Farmer was coming off a season of about 1.5 WAR  Royce was less than that and unable to plat shortstop. There is a big difference. Farmer did the old age regression over the off season. When that hits is unpredictable. There is nothing comparable there. 

[Mike Sixel]

18% below the average hitter for 2.5 years. With meh at best defense. Is that a winning player? How many years does a player have to be bad, and he's been bad, for some people to move on?

[Parfigliano]

2 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

18% below the average hitter for 2.5 years. With meh at best defense. Is that a winning player? How many years does a player have to be bad, and he's been bad, for some people to move on?

Lewis has coasted for years on one very spectacular playoff series.  

[MeleMouth]

A team that doesn't think it's competing for a championship should be giving lots of chances to high-upside, low-floor players, which is what Royce Lewis still seems to be. Now whether the Twins wrongly see themselves as a competitive team or rightly see themselves as not ready to compete is unknown; they've tried to split the difference as a "competitive rebuild" team that ended up failing to either compete or rebuild and the initial vibe is that, regardless of results, they still see themselves this way.

I don't like how Royce Lewis conducts himself, but if he were on another team and came available while I ran the Twins, which I view as still needing to rebuild, I would be interested in him as a turnaround candidate - if I thought I could get through his self-congratulation deflector shields. In fact, I would offer him an OK deal for this year with a team option at a higher salary for the next year or two.

[MeleMouth]

1 hour ago, DJL44 said:

The Twins paid Kyle Farmer over $6M a season. They can pay Royce $5M to be a utility infielder.

If they bring in one of the left-handed hitting second basemen, then he has a role to play. If they sign Gleyber Torres, he’s redundant.

I think it is fascinating that Baseball Reference lists Jose Bautista as a comparable player for Royce.

The most interesting comp is the #1 guy, Woodie Held, who began several good years at the age Royce is now.