Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
There haas been plenty of shuffling by the Minnesota Twins this season. The pitching staff was supposed to provide depth but has been injured. It was thought the lineup could be intriguing, but multiple parts have flopped.
Since coming over in a trade for Brock Stewart, James Outman did little to substantiate a belief he should have been tendered a roster spot this offseason. Still he lasted 49 games into 2026 despite being among the worst hitters in the sport.
Jeremy Zoll finally ripped the band-aid off on June 6th, months beyond what should have happened. He won’t go far though, and will remain in the division.
Detroit Tigers grab James Outman from Minnesota Twins
After taking two-of-three from the Minnesota Twins this week, including an 11-0 drubbing on Thursday, the Detroit Tigers grabbed outfielder James Outman off waivers as well.
James Outman was claimed off waivers by the Tigers after being designated for assignment by the Twins last week.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) June 11, 2026
Willingly wanting to add a player who has been as bad as Outman to your roster is a stretch. The Twins did so this offseason with Ryan Kreidler though, and he’s still around. Outman has batted just .156 with a .479 OPS in 70 plate appearances, while playing questionable defense.
He does cost just over the league minimum salary though, and Detroit is only on the hook for a prorated portion. A.J. Hinch has Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, Wenceel Perez, and Matt Vierling as outfield options on the 26-man roster.
Despite being division favorites, the Tigers are 29-40 (worse than the 31-39 Twins) while Vierling (-0.3) and Perez (-0.5) have both managed a worse fWAR than Outman (-0.2). With Carpenter struggling too (0.0), it’s worth seeing if they can try to find the guy who disappeared after his stellar 3.9 fWAR rookie season (2023).
Royce Lewis continues to thrive taking Outman’s roster spot for MN Twins
While there are rarely any positives in an 11-0 loss, Minnesota Twins — now utility man — Royce Lewis is hitting a nice stride. In his fifth game since returning from a demotion, he has played exclusively on the right side of the infield and a changed swing is doing wonders. During the shutout, he paced the team picking up two of their five total hits.
Another great night at the dish for Royce Lewis. pic.twitter.com/lI9lwfXs9n
— Ted (@tlschwerz) June 11, 2026
While the sample size is just five games, the 6-for-16 output is something the MN Twins will always sign up for. He is driving the baseball, and his 444-foot tank in Detroit was the second-longest dinger of his career.
MIN – Royce Lewis Solo HR (4)
📏 444 ft | 💨 107.6 mph | 📐 32°
⚾️ 95.2 mph sinker (DET – LHP Framber Valdez)
🏟️ Out in 30/30 parks 💣
MIN (1) @ DET (0)
🔺 2nd#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/gfjprW49b7
— MLB Home Runs (@MLBHRs_) June 11, 2026
Lewis had not been quite as bad as Outman prior to his demotion, but the expectations were substantially higher. Now he’s playing on an infield that needs to see Kaelen Culpepper round it out. The outfield should have Kyler Fedko already replacing Outman’s presence, but could also include Gabriel Gonzalez, Emmanuel Rodriguez, or Walker Jenkins at some point this season.
Mentioned in this article: James Outman
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