Twins optioned former first-rounder to Triple-A to refine his swing originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Minnesota Twins are deciding to pull the plug on third baseman Royce Lewis and have him spend some time in the minor leagues to refine himself. According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, the Twins are optioning Lewis to Triple-A Saint Paul and are purchasing the contract of infielder Orlando Arcia.
With a full 40-man roster, the Twins designated right-hander Justin Topa for assignment to clear a space for Arcia. In 39 games with St. Paul, Arcia was performing well, hitting .318 with a .932 OPS and eight home runs.
Royce Lewis is headed to Triple-A St. Paul. #MNTwins are purchasing the contract of Orlando Arcia, according to a source.
This will be one of several moves for the Twins today as they’re out of 40-man spots and need to make room for Arcia.
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) May 19, 2026
The Minnesota Twins will hope Royce Lewis can fix his swing and remain healthy at Triple-A
A former first-round pick (first overall) in the 2017 MLB Draft by the Twins, Lewis’s career has been a constant what-if. Since Lewis’s rookie year, when a right knee bone bruise and ultimately right knee surgery ended his season and limited him to 12 games, injuries have been a problem.
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Injuries would affect Lewis’s ability to remain on the field the next two seasons, as he played in 140 out of a possible 324 games. The 26-year-old played in his first 100+ game season last year, playing in 106 games and batting .237 with a .671 OPS.
With less pressure on his shoulders now that he’s at Triple-A, Lewis’s job to get himself back up with the big club is to perform. Showcasing that he can hit over .300 in his first two seasons, despite his limited time on the field, staying healthy is also key to Lewis living up to his draft status.
Lewis spent some time on the injured list in April with a left knee sprain, which could become an issue moving forward.
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