**Twins Option Edouard Julien; Royce Lewis Expected to Return Tuesday**
The Twins have sent second baseman Edouard Julien to Triple-A St. Paul, as indicated on MLB.com’s transaction log. Dan Hayes of The Athletic had previously suggested this move, as the team needed to make room for infielder Royce Lewis, who is expected to rejoin the team for their series opener against the Yankees.
Julien, 25, transitioned from a top prospect to the Twins’ regular second baseman last year, batting .263/.381/.459 with 16 home runs in 408 plate appearances as a rookie. This confidence in Julien led Minnesota to trade longtime infielder Jorge Polanco to the Mariners to reduce payroll.
Julien started the season hitting .223/.330/.500 with seven home runs by the end of April but has since slumped, posting a .169/.274/.181 slash line over 95 plate appearances. Despite a solid 12.6% walk rate, his strikeout rate has been high at 38% during this slump (34% overall for the season). Julien’s patient approach results in him swinging at only 37% of pitches, the second-lowest rate in baseball behind Jonathan India.
The decision to send Julien down is to make space for Royce Lewis, who has been Minnesota’s top hitter when healthy since his 2022 debut. Lewis, plagued by injuries including two torn right ACLs and a recent quad strain, has a career .313/.369/.564 line (159 wRC+) in 282 MLB plate appearances. He hit four homers in 26 postseason plate appearances last year and homered in his first at-bat of the 2024 season.
With Lewis reclaiming third base and Julien sent to St. Paul, the Twins’ infield dynamic changes. Jose Miranda, the primary third baseman, has bounced back after a difficult 2023 season caused by a shoulder impingement that required surgery. Now fully recovered, Miranda has posted a productive .280/.311/.469 slash with six home runs and nine doubles in 151 plate appearances. While he doesn’t walk much (3.3% this season, 5.3% career), Miranda strikes out at a low rate (14.6% this season, 17.4% career) and has significant extra-base power. Though he played some second base in the minors, it’s unlikely he will do so now. Miranda will rotate between the infield corners and designated hitter, with utilityman Willi Castro expected to get most of the second base playing time. Castro has a .260/.335/.420 start and has played all over the field.
The Twins opted not to make a more drastic roster move by releasing a struggling veteran. Carlos Santana has improved his performance recently, batting .253/.340/.434 over the past 30 days. Kyle Farmer and Manuel Margot, despite their overall poor numbers, have their uses: Margot hits left-handers well, and Farmer is valued for his defensive versatility and leadership. Sending Julien down also preserves depth, as Farmer or Margot could refuse a minor league assignment and opt for free agency instead.
Julien’s demotion doesn’t change the team’s long-term view of him as a valuable contributor, but he will likely have a short stint in Triple-A to reset. If an infielder or any non-catcher position player gets injured, Julien would probably be the first call-up. This move could, however, impact his service time. With 135 days of MLB service at the start of the season, Julien was on track to be a Super Two player after the 2025 season. This demotion might jeopardize that status, though it won’t affect his free agency timeline, but it might cost him a fourth arbitration trip.
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