The Minnesota Twins have recalled infielder Royce Lewis from Triple-A St. Paul and designated outfielder James Outman, who posted -0.2 fWAR and a .156/.229/.250 (34 wRC+) slash line in 70 plate appearances this season, for release or assignment, the team announced Saturday morning. Minnesota now has an open 40-man roster spot. Minnesota's decision to DFA Outman is an encouraging sign that center fielder Byron Buxton, who left last night's game due to a right shoulder contusion, won't miss much time.
The Twins had optioned Lewis to Triple-A St. Paul on May 19 after he posted an abysmal .163/.261/.279 (55 wRC+) slash line over 119 plate appearances this season with poor defensive metrics at third base (-2 Outs Above Average and -1 Defensive Run Saved). Rather than getting in his head and struggling in Triple-A, Lewis took the demotion as an opportunity to boost his confidence; in 13 games during his Triple-A stint, Lewis slashed .340/.417/.868 (214 wRC+) with eight home runs, four doubles and 19 RBI over 53 plate appearances. Minnesota most likely had planned to keep Lewis in the minors much longer, but his domination showed there was no point in doing so.
While Lewis, who turned 27 on Friday, may never return to form at the big-league level, he's certainly proved he's way too good for Triple-A. Hopefully, he isn't a Quad-A player, and the Triple-A reset is exactly what he needed to get his career back on track. Fans shouldn't be too optimistic that Lewis will tear up major-league pitching as he did in the minors, but the infielder still deserves credit for his strong performance with the Saints.
Lewis to play on right side of infield with Twins
Brooks Lee has taken over the starting third base role for Minnesota, meaning Lewis, who began the year as the Twins' starting third baseman, will have to play elsewhere. Lewis is starting at second base and batting seventh for Minnesota against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field today. He played second base with Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday, then played first base on Thursday and Friday. It's also worth noting that second baseman Luke Keaschall got some pre-game work in at first base this week.
Kody Clemens has been Minnesota's starting first baseman lately, playing the position well while putting up strong offensive numbers (.297/.326/.593 slash line with five homers, eight doubles and two triples since May 10). Luckily, Clemens can also play corner outfield and second base. With Lewis returning to the majors, first baseman/designated hitter Josh Bell, who is hitting .228/.289/.348 (78 wRC+) this season but has 10 hits in his last 31 at-bats, and outfielder Austin Martin, who has slashed .129/.176/.214 since May 16, may see drops in playing time.
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