Lewis' injury leaves 'MVP candidate' hole in Twins' lineup?

KANSAS CITY -- All the optimism of a healthy spring for the Twins’ trio of stars, and all the excitement to see what that group could be capable of when healthy together at last, didn’t even make it three full innings into the regular season.

The cheer of Opening Day -- a 4-1 victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium -- vanished with the sight of Royce Lewis limping into the third-base dugout with a right quad injury in the third inning Thursday. The injury followed a dream start to the season for Lewis -- but that dream of having Lewis, Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa healthy and productive at the same time looks like it’s again on hold.

And when Buxton is asked about another setback for his eternally cheerful, optimistic teammate who has already been through so much, he almost chokes up.

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“It's tough, just him going through the last two years,” Buxton said. “He just loves to play. I ain't going to get into detail because it's a little emotional [for me].”

Lewis appeared to yell as he rounded second with big strides on a Correa RBI double in the top of the third inning and had to pull up with a clear limp at third base, favoring his right leg. Following an examination by head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta and manager Rocco Baldelli, Lewis walked off the field under his own power.

Lewis underwent MRIs following his exit, but Baldelli did not have results to announce immediately after the game.

“It honestly just felt like a little cramp and it just tightened up as you’re running, and obviously that’s where you see the hindrance of me trying to score,” Lewis said. “Honestly, the first thing that was in my mind was like, ‘Dang, [the score] should be 3-1.’”

Until that point, the 2024 season couldn’t have started any better for the Twins’ breakout star of ‘23, who had been eager to build on his 1.119 OPS and four-homer showing in the playoffs following a long-awaited fully healthy offseason and Spring Training.

In his first plate appearance of the new year, Lewis turned on an inside fastball from Royals Opening Day starter Cole Ragans and sent it 423 feet into the left-field fountains for the Twins’ first homer of the season. In his second chance, he’d slashed a single into left, another entry into the book of what he’s shown his entire career: When healthy, he can be special at the plate.

“He just continues to just produce and produce,” Baldelli said. “It’s pretty amazing, actually, to come out here and start a season like that.”

Correa added: “You felt terrible. He's a guy that you know [is] an MVP candidate.”

It had gone so well for the Twins’ trio of stars, too, as Correa finished with three hits, a walk and two stellar defensive plays to his backhand side, while Buxton crushed a 110.3 mph single, as the three players combined for six hits.

But once again, Lewis’ health misfortune has flared up.

First, it was the two torn ACLs that set Lewis’ development back and cost him both ‘21 and most of ‘22, then a left oblique strain and a left hamstring strain last season that held him to only 58 regular-season games when he’d finally recovered from the ACL issues. Counting the COVID cancellation of the 2020 Minor League season, he’s coming off massive chunks lost in four consecutive seasons.

He bounced back from all those issues with his trademark cheer, optimism and immediate on-field success -- and it looks like the Twins might have to count on that once again.

And somehow, through all this, Lewis still hasn’t lost that smile, even as he spoke as if he expected to miss time.

“I think I’m just smiling because I was blessed to play,” Lewis said. “This is my first Opening Day, and so I just look at all the positives.”

If Lewis misses significant time, positional needs seemingly indicate that Austin Martin could be the next man up from Triple-A St. Paul, since Brooks Lee is down with the back spasms that cut short his Spring Training. Kyle Farmer could slide over to third, with Edouard Julien then splitting time with Martin at second base.

In the meantime, Lewis could be trudging another path along the road to recovery.

“It’s something I can’t control, this stuff, and it’s part of the game,” Lewis said. “So, you know, I’ll catch a break. I’ll come back and make things happen. We’ll have some more fun.”