The Twins may be nearing a point where Royce Lewis no longer fits the picture, and that reality is getting harder to ignore.
Lewis, 27, was Minnesota’s first-round pick in 2017 and the No. 1 overall selection out of JSerra Catholic High School. The talent has always been obvious.
The problem has been staying on the field. Injuries have repeatedly interrupted his career, and that has left the Twins with a difficult decision to consider: whether it makes sense to keep building around him or start looking for a trade.
Since the 2022 season, Lewis has topped 100 games in a year only twice, in 2025 and 2026. Over his five-year career, he has averaged 77 games per season.
Even when he has been available, the production has been uneven. Lewis owns a career .246/.302/.429 slash line with 69 doubles, 61 home runs and 213 RBI.
The bigger issue now is that Minnesota’s roster picture is changing around him.
Heading into 2027, Brooks Lee and Kaelen Culpepper are expected to be in the lineup every day. Top prospect Marek Houston is also projected to be major league ready sometime next season, which could take another spot out of Lewis’ hands.
Then there’s Kody Clemens, who may be the clearest obstacle of all. Since the Twins acquired him from the Philadelphia Phillies in April of 2025, Clemens has played the best baseball of his career. In 257 games over two seasons in Minnesota, he has hit .230 with a .745 OPS, plus 34 doubles, 11 triples, 46 home runs and 133 RBI.
Clemens also brings durability. Since reaching the majors in 2022, he has been on the injured list only once, and that came in June of 2024.
His 2026 season was the strongest of his career, with 22 doubles, seven triples, 27 home runs and 81 RBI in 145 games and 583 plate appearances. He finished with a career-best .239 batting average, .758 OPS and 2.5 fWAR.
He is under club control through 2029, which gives the Twins a long runway if they want to build around him. That could mean Clemens at first base, Culpepper at second base if the position change happens, Houston at shortstop and Lee at third base.
Clemens has also graded out better defensively than Lewis in recent seasons.
A move to designated hitter does not really solve the problem, either. Minnesota’s outfield is crowded with Luke Keaschall, Walker Jenkins, Trevor Larnach, Emmanuel Rodriguez and Byron Buxton all in the mix. That leaves little room to shuffle pieces without pushing someone to the bench or into the DH spot.
Most of those players appear likely to stay in the organization. Buxton is not going anywhere unless he wants out. Larnach would probably be the first one moved from that group, but even that feels unlikely.
Houston may not be ready for the start of the 2027 season, which gives the Twins some breathing room. They could move Lewis this offseason, but they may not need to act until next summer’s trade deadline.
It is not an easy conclusion, but a change of scenery could make sense for both sides.
In Other News...
Twins Face A Joe Ryan Decision Fans May Not Expect
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The idea is not without precedent, with Milwaukees decision to deal Freddy Peralta before his final contract year offering a template. Still, the market for pitchers with only one year of control can be tricky, and there is added uncertainty around the 2027 season that could make teams cautious about paying full freight. For the Twins, the question is not just whether Ryan is valuable enough to trade, but whether the timing and return will ever line up in a way that makes sense. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Fans Still Can't Escape The Aaron Hicks Trade Debate
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Hicks career took on a far different shape once he got to New York, where he eventually settled in and produced some of his best years before later stops with the Orioles and Angels. Murphys time in Minnesota was far shorter, and after a brief run with the Twins he moved on to Arizona and later retired after the 2020 season, leaving the trade as one of those old front-office decisions fans still revisit whenever the subject of missed value comes back around. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Outfield Battle Is Putting Veteran Roles In Real Danger
The Twins outfield picture for 2027 is already starting to take shape, and it does not leave much room for comfort among the veterans. Byron Buxton is still expected to anchor center field when healthy, but the club will likely continue managing his workload with time at designated hitter, which opens the door for younger options to claim more regular at-bats. Luke Keaschall and Spencer Jenkins are projected to be part of the corner-outfield mix, giving Minnesota a core that looks more flexible than settled.
Trevor Larnach and Austin Martin are the names most clearly caught in the middle of that shuffle. Larnachs role is no longer secure, and Martin appears headed for a platoon or bench assignment unless the roster picture changes again, which is exactly why the competition matters so much this winter. With several outfielders still fighting for playing time and the front office continuing to sort through the roster, the Twins are entering a stretch where every move could reshape who stays, who slides into a lesser role, and who gets squeezed out entirely. [Read more 🡒]