Lewis 'felt really good' in first rehab game after hamstring strain
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ST. PAUL, Minn. -- There was to be no easing into things for Royce Lewis. In the first game of the slugger¡¯s rehabilitation assignment on Friday night, Lewis found himself facing one of the toughest pitchers in the Minor Leagues, and he was repeatedly challenged on the defensive side.
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He came through it all just fine, though, and that¡¯s the only thing that matters on Day 1. Lewis went 1-for-3 with a double in his 2025 regular season debut, starting at third base and playing six innings.
¡°The first time¡¯s always really weird, you know? But it¡¯s just the game,¡± Lewis said. ¡°I got real comfortable after maybe the second or third inning. First inning, just getting the nerves out of the way, just excited again. It was fun.¡±
Facing Indianapolis right-hander Bubba Chandler, MLB Pipeline¡¯s No. 14 prospect and No. 4 among right-handed pitchers, Lewis grounded to shortstop in his first at-bat and struck out looking in his second. In his third at-bat, he worked a deep count against Burch Smith, and after Smith was removed due to injury, Lewis smoked a line-drive double to left off of Eddy Yean.
On the defensive side, he fielded four balls, turning two into outs. The first ball hit to him was a slow roller to his right. He fielded it and threw it on a hop to first baseman Yunior Severino, but not in time. Severino was injured reaching for the ball. The next ball to Lewis was a high chopper that he lost in the sun that also went for a hit, but he cleanly handled the last two.
¡°I felt really good,¡± he said. ¡°I put up good at-bats. I felt like, if I wasn¡¯t sitting on pitches, I might not have struck out today, so that was good. Putting bat to ball was great. Trying to look for little things. I don¡¯t want to analyze too much. I¡¯m just getting back into it. But at the same time, I thought I did some things well. I made a couple good plays.¡±
Lewis will have Saturday off then return to action Sunday. The Twins are playing their cards close to the vest regarding the full plan for Lewis, but he will be built up somewhat slowly. He will play some third base and also serve some as a designated hitter.
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Plans can change, but the current expectation is that he will not be activated before the Twins¡¯ next homestand, which begins May 6 against the Orioles. Manager Rocco Baldelli said Thursday that Lewis will need to play ¡°at least a couple¡± of full nine-inning games in the field before he returns to the active roster.
Still, Friday was a significant step.
¡°I think I did a lot today for the first game,¡± Lewis said. ¡°I got four balls at me. And then having a double, grounding out, it was good. I got to test it out a good bit, which was nice, and I don¡¯t really feel [anything]. More of getting used to the games again, I think that¡¯s the key, and that¡¯s why you have a big buildup like this. First of however many we¡¯ve got.¡±
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Rodriguez sidelined
Emmanuel Rodriguez, the Twins¡¯ No. 2 prospect and the No. 34 overall prospect, according to Pipeline, did not play in Friday¡¯s doubleheader for St. Paul. That¡¯s because he is recovering from a left thumb strain, which he suffered on Wednesday. Rodriguez is considered day to day and has not been placed on the injured list. It is not the same thumb on which he had surgery over the offseason.