The Minnesota Twins slumped to their fifth straight loss yesterday. All of the goodwill they generated in their recent 17-3 streak has been washed asunder in a sea of bad fielding, inconsistent pitching, and lack of clutch hitting. One player can’t do it all, but perhaps the Twins’ revival will only take place when Royce Lewis returns to the lineup.
Old Demons Return to Twins
The Twins must be feeling a bit of deja vu these days. Many of the sins that have visited them in the past have returned with a vengeance in 2024. Their defense is reminiscent of the bad old days of 2015-16 when players such as Miguel Sano and Danny Sanatana could turn any ground ball into an adventure. The 2024 version of this is watching Willi Castro and Alex Kirilloff trying to track down a flyball.
Their starting pitching is starting to resemble the pre-2023 years when the Twins tried to employ a string of has-beens, never-weres, and/or failed prospects to fill out the back end of their starting rotations.
Do the names Matt Shoemaker, Dylan Bundy, Rich Hill, or Devin Smeltzer send chills down your spine? They should. Granted, the 2024 pitching woes have been more of a top-to-bottom thing, including an injury-plagued bullpen, but you get the picture.
Twins Experience Return of Hitting Woes
The Twins’ hitting nightmares go back only one season to the dreadful first half of 2023. Byron Buxton suffered a lost year as the team’s DH. Carlos Correa, battling plantar fasciitis, did not respond at the plate until later in the season.
Do you want further proof? Starting pitcher Sonny Gray finished second in the American League Cy Young Award race with an 8-8 record. Why? Almost a complete lack of run support. Only the youth movement and rebound seasons by Ryan Jeffers and Max Kepler brought the offense out of its doldrums.
The Royce Effect
You all remember Royce Lewis. The top Twins prospect who survived two ACL surgeries and the dormant 2020 pandemic season to lead the Twins to new heights last season. Finally, all of the talent and anticipation came together as Lewis recorded one of the most incredible half-seasons in MLB history.
Who could forget the excitement Lewis generated after his grand slam tear, his consecutive playoff home run streak, and the sense of fun and entertainment he brought to the team? As mentioned earlier, the youth movement, consisting of Eddy Julien, Matt Wallner, and Lewis, helped turn the trajectory of the Twins’ season around last year.
When Will Lewis Return to the Twins?
Lewis’s return to the team is expected sometime in June. He started running on the field last weekend and could be cleared for a minor league assignment by this weekend. The team will not rush him back, but given the recent downturn that Minnesota has experienced, the Twins know that he cannot return soon enough.
Is it fair to put such pressure on one ball player? Is the weight of the Twins’ organization and fans’ expectations going to result in broken dreams? From what we have witnessed of Mr. Lewis so far, I think the answer to that question is a resounding no.
Royce Lewis seems intent on breaking numerous records and shattering all expectations. After his difficulties and the resilience of his previous comebacks, I think he will rise to the occasion and even exceed expectations.
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Greg Simbeck covers a variety of sports for Total Apex Sports. He specializes in MLB coverage. Greg has covered various sports for numerous other publications over the years.
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