Royce Lewis says he’s ready for rehab. Not so fast, says his manager

The Twins appear close to getting one of their most powerful hitters back.

Royce Lewis, the 2017 first-round draft pick with 31 homers and 80 RBIs in just 100 major league games, will join Class AAA St. Paul for a rehab assignment when the Saints host Omaha on Tuesday at CHS Field.

“I don’t know what to do, other than I’m going to go,” Lewis said. “I don’t know if it’s designated hitter or third (base) or what the plan is. I’m guessing, I’m hoping, it’s just third right away and away we go.”

Lewis said he hoped his workout before Monday’s late start to the Phillies at Target Field convinced the team he was ready for a rehab assignment. That’s what happened.

“Honestly, I’m doing more than I normally do for a game day,” he said. “At the end of the day, I feel like I’m ready to go. I’ve already been told if the race goes well today, which I’m just waiting for (I didn’t want to say it before) because if it goes well today, I’ll be playing in St. Paul tomorrow.”

Lewis has been plagued by numerous injuries since he first tore his right ACL during spring training in 2021 and then tore it again while making a catch against the center field wall on May 21, 2022. Prior to his current stint on injured reserve, Lewis missed 58 games this season with a quadriceps injury.

Yet his optimism in the face of injuries is already legendary in the Twins locker room, and the Twins confirmed the move during Monday night’s game against Philadelphia at Target Field.

Lewis could be joined in St. Paul by infielder Jose Miranda. Out with a sore back, he will run the bases Tuesday at Target Field and, if successful, cross the river for the game against the Saints.

Julien takes his hits

Second baseman Edouard Julien, who remained on the major league roster last season after playing just 38 games in St. Paul, is back with the Twins after being sent back to Triple-A to improve his swing on June 4. At the time, he was hitting .207 with 66 strikeouts in 58 games.

“I don’t think I was relegated. It was more of a struggle,” Julien said Monday. “I never really struggled at the plate, especially, in the minor leagues or before. It was tough over that longer period of time not doing as well as I normally do. I think that was the hardest part.”

In 35 games in St. Paul, Julien hit .233 with eight extra-base hits and 11 RBIs before being recalled. In two games since his return, he was 1 for 4 with two walks before Monday. He was not in the starting lineup Monday.

Baldelli said the demotion could have been a “shock to the system” for Julien, who had never really struggled offensively until this season. The challenge, the manager said, was accepting the fact that pitchers were attacking him successfully and he had to make adjustments to keep up.

“I think he knew it the first time he was here, but I don’t think he was fully prepared to recognize it and do what it took to be successful,” Baldelli said. “Sometimes it takes a little while for those things to sink in. I think that’s normal. I think the way he recognizes all of that is different than it was back then.”

Julien said: “Maybe it was just a slap in the face to go down there and not feel bad about myself, but to keep working and try to find a way to get back here. That’s all I can control.”

Correa plays it safe

Carlos Correa was in the locker room before Monday’s game, wearing a stabilizing shoe on his injured right foot and unsure when he might play again. He was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis before the team broke for the All-Star Game.

Upon his return, Correa received an injection of platelet-rich plasma into his right heel.

Correa was slowed by plantar fasciitis in his left foot last season, which limited him to just 135 games. He said he told coach Nick Paparesta he could have played Sunday, but both players decided to play conservatively after playing in the lineup multiple times last year.

“Instead of having to go through that in the second half and have the performances drop off because of that, we decided to go that route and take a week or whatever it takes – and then when it heals, we’ll come back and hopefully it lasts until the end of the season,” he said.

Briefly

Right-hander Brock Stewart was in the Twins locker room after playing four games with St. Paul. “I don’t know what the next step is,” he said, “but I think I’m ready to go.” … Baldelli said of Manuel Margot, who started Monday 0 for 23 as a pinch hitter: “I’m always going to bet on the guy who’s a good right-handed hitter to go up there in those spots.”