Twins' Royce Lewis Placed on IL with Quad Injury Suffered on 2024 MLB Opening Day
Mar 30, 2024
KANSAS CITY, MO - MARCH 28: Royce Lewis #23 of the Minnesota Twins bats and hits a home run against the Kansas City Royals on March 28, 2024 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Twins announced that third baseman Royce Lewis has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right quad strain. Rookie utility player Austin Martin will take his place on the Twins' roster.
Per Dan Hayes of the Athletic, Lewis' injury occurred while he ran from first to third following a Carlos Correa third-inning double during the Twins' 4-1 Opening Day win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. Edouard Julien replaced Lewis on the basepaths.
Lewis began the year with a solo home run in the first inning before adding a single in the third.
Lewis, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft, has posted 18 home runs alongside 58 RBI and a .313 batting average (.933 OPS) in 71 career games. His per-162 game average is 41 home runs and 132 RBI, per Baseball-Reference.
Unfortunately, Lewis has suffered serious injuries, including two torn ACLs, that have kept him off the field more often than not.
The latest IL stint marks his fifth time on the list.
Now Martin gets his first shot at the big league level. The Toronto Blue Jays selected the former Vanderbilt shortstop with the No. 5 overall choice in the 2020 MLB draft. One year later, Toronto sent Martin and pitcher Simeon Woods-Richardson to the Minnesota Twins for starter Jose Berrios.
In 59 games for Triple-A St. Paul last year, Martin hit .263 (.791 OPS) with six home runs and 28 RBI.
The Twins continue their three-game road series against Kansas City on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET.
It's technically possible for all six division champions from one season to repeat in the following season, but the next time it happens will be the first.…
Looking at 10 big storylines with MLB spring training getting closer.
MLB Rumors: Carlos Santana, Twins Agree to 1-Year, $5.25M Contract
Feb 3, 2024
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 04: Carlos Santana #41 of the Milwaukee Brewers singles during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during Game Two of the Wild Card Series at American Family Field on October 04, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Twins are reportedly signing free agent first baseman Carlos Santana, per the New York Post's Jon Heyman.
Heyman also noted the one-year deal was worth $5.25 million.
Santana has been with four different teams over the last two years. He began the 2022 season with the Kansas City Royals, but was traded to the Seattle Mariners halfway through the year. He signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates ahead of the 2023 season, but was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers before the end of the year.
Now, the former All-Star is joining a new team for the 2024 campaign.
While Santana is far removed from his All-Star, Silver Slugger season, he's proven to still be a valuable piece to a team in need of a spark in the lineup. Last year, he hit at a .240 clip, notching 132 hits, 23 home runs and 86 RBIs. Santana spent most of his career with the Cleveland Guardians, and now he'll be suiting up for his former division rival.
The Twins are coming off an 87-75 season where they reached the ALDS, but fell to the Houston Astros in four games.
Minnesota traded Jorge Polanco earlier this week, gaining some additional cap space to add some pieces to the lineup. Picking up Santana helps the Twins replace some offensive production they lost by dealing Polanco, and they could be looking to add some additional hitters before the end of the offseason to aid the team that struck out the most in the 2023 season.
Carlos Correa, Pablo López Thrill Fans as Twins Beat Astros in Game 2 to Even Series
Oct 9, 2023
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 08: Carlos Correa #4 of the Minnesota Twins hits an RBI double against the Houston Astros during the first inning in Game Two of the Division Series at Minute Maid Park on October 08, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa crushed his former team on Sunday, registering three hits (two doubles) and three RBI in a 6-2 road win over the Houston Astros to knot their American League Division Series at one game apiece.
Correa's first-inning RBI double scored Jorge Polanco for a quick 1-0 lead.
Twins strike first!
Carlos Correa with an RBI double against his former team!
Correa, who was booed by his former home fans, then kept the Twins' offense rolling with a two-run single in the fifth to plate Donovan Solano and Michael A. Taylor.
All of that scoring was more than enough for starting pitcher Pablo López, who tossed seven shutout innings, striking out seven while allowing only six hits and one walk.
A Yordan Alvarez two-run homer in the eighth finally put the Astros on the board, but it was too little, too late, as the Correa-López combination proved too strong on this night.
Correa now has eight hits in 15 playoff at-bats this season. López has tossed 12.2 frames of one-run ball, winning both of his starts.
Those two came to play Sunday, and fans and analysts praised their tremendous performances.
Another double from Carlos Correa. He truly is a different beast in October. I've never seen anything like it.
I’ve never seen a player like Carlos Correa take a horrifically mid organization like the Minnesota Twins and do something like this (break an 0-18 streak and hold a 5-0 lead in ALDS game 2)
Pablo López has been so good this year that the Twins traded away a guy who hit .400 for half the season and there's just no argument they'd be better if the trade was reversed
Pablo López carved up the Astros across seven scoreless innings tonight at Minute Maid Park. Houston put one runner on third base, struck out seven times and managed six hits. The average exit velocity on the 19 balls they put in play was 78.5 mph.
Minnesota will now host Houston for Game 3 on Tuesday at 4:07 p.m. ET.
Twins' Carlos Correa: I Haven't Spoken to Former Astros Teammates Ahead of 2023 ALDS
Oct 6, 2023
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - OCTOBER 04: Carlos Correa #4 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates after tagging out Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays at second base during the fifth inning in Game Two of the Wild Card Series at Target Field on October 04, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa revealed that he hasn't been in contact with any of his former teammates on the Houston Astros ahead of the upcoming ALDS series between the two division winners.
Correa spent seven years in Houston, playing a major part in several of the franchise's most memorable moments of the past decade. He won Rookie of the Year in 2015, finished fifth in MVP voting in 2021 and hit .276 with two home runs and five RBIs during the Astros' seven-game World Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017.
Now having been on the Twins for the past two seasons, it appears that all conversations between Correa and his former teammates have been paused. According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, he received some congratulations after Minnesota's Wild Card victory but that was it.
"We can be friends after the series," Correa said.
It doesn't appear that there is any animosity between the former Astro and his old teammates, but rather a friendly competitiveness as the two sides will begin a best-of-five series with their respective seasons on the line.
Jose Altuve, who was on Houston's roster for Correa's entire tenure in the Lone Star State, acknowledged the conundrum when speaking with reporters on Friday.
"We have to beat him, even though we like him a lot," Altuve said, per Rome.
The Twins and Astros are set to face off in Game 1 on Saturday at 4:45 p.m. ET.
Minnesota Twins shortstop Carlos Correa, right, reacts after tagging out Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., left, who was picked off second base during the fifth inning of Game 2 of an AL wild-card baseball playoff series Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
The Minnesota Twins have won a playoff matchup for the first time since 2002 after capping a two-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays with a 2-0 victory to end their American League Wild Card Series.
A dramatic game went down in Minneapolis' Target Field despite the fact that neither team scored outside the bottom of the fourth inning.
On the winning side, the Twins' stellar pitching and defense took centerstage once again en route to leading Minnesota to playoff success.
Minnesota scratched out two runs in the fourth off two walks, two singles and a groundout, and that was all the team needed thanks to starter Sonny Gray (five shutout frames, six strikeouts) and the efforts of five Twins relievers.
On the losing side, the Jays' season ends in bitter disappointment after the team scored just one run in two games.
Game 2 was particularly painful for three reasons.
First, an important (and later costly) decision took place in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Jays right-handed starting pitcher Jose Berrios, who cruised through three shutout frames while striking out five, led off the fourth with a walk to Twins superstar Royce Lewis.
Jays manager John Schneider then pulled Berrios after just 47 pitches to bring in left-handed Yusei Kikuchi. Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com explained the move.
Yusei Kikuchi is going in the bullpen for the Blue Jays. I figured something like this could be in play today, to force the Twins to start their RHP lineup but force them to make tough platoon decisions early.,
Another run scored after a double play with the bases loaded.
Ultimately, that move backfired, but the Jays still held the Twins to two runs for the game. The bigger problem was at the dish and on the basepaths.
Simply put, Toronto didn't take advantage of its opportunities, specifically in the fifth and sixth innings.
In the fifth, Toronto had Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on second and George Springer on third with cleanup hitter Bo Bichette at the dish with two outs. However, Sonny Gray caught Guerrero well off second base, and he picked the slugger off to end the frame.
In the sixth inning, Matt Chapman got up with one out and the bases loaded. He lined a pitch down the left field line, but it strayed just foul. On the next pitch, Chapman grounded into a double play, ending the inning.
Overall, the Jays left 10 runners on base through the first six innings, including two apiece in the first, second and fifth and three in the sixth.
Fans and analysts provided strong reactions in particular to Gray's pickoff of Guerrero as well as the decision to remove Berrios, which could have possibly been a move made in conjunction with the front office.
I'll add this on the move from Berríos to Kikuchi:
This isn't John Schneider sitting in his office and having an idea in the dark. At all. A strategy like this involves a range of coaches, front office, etc...
The Guerrero pickoff was particularly damaging, though, especially with the Jays' best hitter in Bo Bichette at the dish as the winning run at the time.
With #BlueJays down two in a must-win game, Bo Bichette at the plate and runners on second and third, Vlad Guerrero Jr. gets picked off second base by Sonny Gray.
The Vladdy base running blunder was far worse than the analytics play to lift Berrios (which still was bad) Totally inexcusable by Guerrero Jr. That wasn’t a John Schneider decision though - it was a team decision. So unless they totally clean house JS won’t be fired… #NextLevel
This game is a very good microcosm of the blue Jays season so far. Manager makes an odd decision, Vladimir Guerrero Jr messes up in a big moment, not able to hit the long ball.
Bichette yesterday missing the sign at third. Guerrero today, not aware of his surroundings. So many mental errors like this by the Jays this season. Speaks to a lack of discipline, attention to detail. #NextLevel
On the flip side, the Berrios decision appeared to take any wind out of the Jays' sails. They were going back-and-forth with the Twins at that point, and the move appeared to put momentum back into Minnesota's hands.
Former Jays superstar outfielder Vernon Wells provided his opinion on the matter.
Which move is worse, taking Snell out in the World Series or taking Berrios out after 47 pitches?
Other did as well, including ex-Toronto skipper Buck Martinez.
Buck Martinez isn't a fan of the #BlueJays pitching change today, taking out Jose Berrios in the 4th:
"There's no reason for him to come out of that game. You didn't know what Kikuchi was going to do, you knew what Berrios was doing. There was no reason to make the change." pic.twitter.com/4SMIbNZadW
They just pulled Berrios after 47 pitches of 0 run ball!!!!! Thanks analytics nerds. You are smarter than all of us. This puts Kikuchi in such a bad spot. The geeks at their computers have no feel for the moment. This is just terrible. Just awful. #nerdsruinbaseball
One of the utterly egregious things about pulling Berríos early is that he's *their* guy. They traded for him and then gave him a 7-year extension - and they pull him from a must-win game in which he's absolutely shoving? Unbelievable. #BlueJays
Analytically speaking that was the right move. The problem is that baseball is not played on a spreadsheet and every time you switch pitchers in a high pressure situation you run the risk of one simply not being ready for that moment. Jose Berrios had it. Don’t waste that.
If Schneider made the call to pull Berrios, he should be fired. If he did it because Atkins told him to, they should both be fired and the front office given a facelift because that was an extreme "can't see the forest for the trees" situation.
In the end, though, the Twins' fantastic showing should be celebrated. They broke a two-decade playoff slump and look like a tough out in the process thanks to great pitching and defense.
The Minnesota Twins have swept the Toronto Blue Jays with a 2-0 win in Game 2.
They are moving on in the playoffs for the first time since 2002, set for an ALDS matchup against Houston.
They allowed one run in the two-game sweep. They have the pitching to get this thing done.
I think, for me, the best way to describe this version of Twins, which contrasts to most Minnesota sports endeavors, is that they don't feel "accidental."
Minnesota will now move onto the American League Division Series to face the defending World Series champion Houston Astros.
Twins' Max Kepler Assessed 1st Pitch Clock Violation in MLB Playoffs
Oct 4, 2023
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 04: Max Kepler #26 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates after hitting a single in the fourth inning during Game 2 of the Wild Card Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Wednesday, October 4, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
There's a first for everything, but Max Kepler probably didn't want to be the first player in Major League Baseball history to accomplish this.
During Wednesday's matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series, Kepler was assessed the first-ever pitch-clock violation in postseason history.
After being given a strike on a pitch-clock violation, Kepler struck out.
Minnesota Twins right fielder Max Kepler becomes the first MLB player in postseason history to have a pitch-clock violation against him, leading to a strikeout.
Kepler has been one of Minnesota's best players this year. In 130 regular-season games, he slashed .260/.332/.484 with 24 home runs, 66 RBI and one stolen base.
After defeating the Blue Jays in Game 1, the Twins entered Wednesday aiming to clinch a berth in the AL Division Series for the first time since 2019. They held a 2-0 lead entering the seventh inning.
