Twins' Royce Lewis Hits 8th, Lifted for Pinch Hitter

Lewis struggles at plate, new manager Shelton moves him down in lineup

Mar. 27, 2026 at 2:48am

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Twins' top prospect Royce Lewis hit eighth in the batting order and went 0-for-2 with a groundout in Thursday's 2-1 loss against the Baltimore Orioles. He was also hit by a pitch and was lifted for a pinch hitter in the ninth inning with the tying run on base. Lewis struggled during spring training, hitting just .133 (6 for 45) with two home runs and a .449 OPS, leading new manager Derek Shelton to move him lower in the lineup and not trust him in a key late-game situation.

Why it matters

Lewis was once considered a future star who would hit in the heart of the Twins' order, but his struggles this spring have led to a demotion in the lineup and a lack of trust from the new manager. This could be a concerning sign for the Twins as they look to Lewis to be a key part of their lineup in the coming seasons.

The details

In Thursday's game, Lewis hit eighth in the order and went 0-for-2, grounding into a double play. He was also hit by a pitch. With the tying run on base in the ninth inning, Shelton opted to pinch hit for Lewis rather than let him try to tie the game. Lewis had a poor spring training, hitting just .133 (6 for 45) with two home runs and a .449 OPS, leading Shelton to move him down in the batting order and not trust him in a key late-game situation.

  • On March 27, 2026, Lewis hit eighth in the Twins' lineup and was lifted for a pinch hitter in the ninth inning.

The players

Royce Lewis

A top prospect for the Minnesota Twins who was once considered a future star but has struggled this spring.

Derek Shelton

The new manager of the Minnesota Twins who has moved Lewis down in the batting order and did not trust him in a key late-game situation.

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The takeaway

Lewis' struggles this spring have led to a demotion in the Twins' lineup and a lack of trust from the new manager, which could be a concerning sign for the team as they look to the young prospect to be a key part of their future.