**Lewis Expected to Return from IL This Week**
* Royce Lewis appears to be on the verge of returning to the Major Leagues.
If Lewis successfully completes his Sunday game with Triple-A St. Paul without any issues, he is expected to rejoin the Twins in time for the series opener at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday. However, this move is not yet official, and the club will likely wait until Tuesday to formalize it.
This return would mark the first time since Lewis sustained a severe right quadriceps strain during the Twins’ March 28 Opening Day game in Kansas City that he, Byron Buxton, and Carlos Correa will be back together in the starting lineup.
“I’m very excited to be playing next to Royce again,” Correa said earlier in the week. “He’s a generational talent that we need on the field.”
Lewis has a history of making dramatic comebacks. He famously returned from his second torn ACL on May 29, 2023, with a homer and four RBIs in his first game back, and later hit two homers in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series last October after recovering from a hamstring strain. Notably, he also has a knack for hitting grand slams.
However, the excitement of Lewis’ strong start to the 2024 season, where he homered and singled in his only two plate appearances, was short-lived when he pulled up while running the bases hard after that single.
The Twins initially estimated a two-month recovery for Lewis, which appears accurate as his anticipated return is just past the two-month mark from his injury. Despite being antsy during the final stages of his recovery, Lewis waited for clearance to play.
Since May 25, Lewis has been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul, recording 3-for-19 with a double, seven strikeouts, and even a stolen base, despite going hitless in his last three rehab games. He is expected to play nine innings at third base for the Saints in Rochester, N.Y., as his final test.
Lewis’ return will have significant roster implications for the Twins, who face a tough decision about which established regular to send down to make room for him. Although the corresponding move has not been indicated yet, more clarity is expected before the team leaves Houston.
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