The Minnesota Twins will get two of their middle-of-the-order bats back into their lineup without too long of an absence. Royce Lewis and José Miranda will likely return to the lineup as soon as this weekend’s series against the Detroit Tigers, per Dan Hayes of MLB.com. Lewis has been on the injured list since the beginning of July due to an adductor strain, while Miranda was placed on the IL with back tightness before the All-Star break. Both players are expected to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A St. Paul.
Twins Injury Update: Royce Lewis and José Miranda
Lewis has 71 regular season games under his belt, primarily due to two right ACL tears. Between the pandemic-cancelled 2020 minor league season and the first of those torn ACLs, Lewis didn’t play a single game over the 2020-21 season. But this season, Lewis has been impressive in his limited playing time, hitting .350/.420/.850 with nine home runs and 13 RBI in 21 games. Lewis’ injury problems allowed Miranda to get a fresh chance at regular playing time. Miranda has also been a key contributor, hitting .325/.366/.522 with nine home runs and 43 RBI in 75 games. His string of 12 consecutive at-bats with a hit matched a major league record.
Minnesota’s offense is going through a rough spot as they strive to catch up in the American League Central standings. The overall health of the Twins infield is still an issue. Alex Kirilloff, Austin Martin and Kyle Farmer are all on the 10-day IL. The return of Lewis and Miranda will be a significant boost for the Twins, who have been dealing with several injuries to key players. Shortstop Carlos Correa is out with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Correa will likely miss about a week or two. Right-handed pitcher Chris Paddack is experiencing elbow tightness that restricted his full range of motion.
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