{"id":599391,"date":"2026-03-01T06:17:50","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T06:17:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/599391\/"},"modified":"2026-03-01T06:17:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T06:17:50","slug":"royce-lewis-injury-concerns-return-early-in-spring-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/599391\/","title":{"rendered":"Royce Lewis’ injury concerns return early in spring training"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Minnesota Twins<\/a> are once again facing injury questions surrounding slugger Royce Lewis<\/a> as the club prepares for Opening Day<\/a> 2026 and spring training<\/a> unfolds in Florida under growing expectations.<\/p>\n

Team officials described the move as precautionary, but any physical concern involving Lewis<\/a> immediately draws heightened scrutiny across the organization due to his injury history.<\/p>\n

Lewis, entering his fifth MLB season, felt discomfort while running the bases before a spring game vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday. The Twins removed him from the lineup and labeled him day-to-day. Considering his track record, even minor issues warrant caution.<\/p>\n

According to a post by The Athletic\u2019s Dan Hayes on X, formerly Twitter, the Twins provided clarification through<\/a> their media relations department as spring training continued.<\/p>\n

#MNTwins<\/a> scratched Royce Lewis from today\u2019s game. Per media relations: Lewis experienced tightness on right side after running the bases pregame. Scratched \u201cout of abundance of caution.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) February 26, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Hayes shared the update during early Grapefruit League action. While the Twins emphasized the precautionary nature of the move, the phrase \u201cright-side tightness\u201d carries added weight for a player who has endured an injury-plagued career to this point.<\/p>\n

Lewis has battled two ACL tears and multiple soft-tissue strains in the past. When healthy, the slugging third baseman anchors the middle of the Twins\u2019 lineup and significantly raises the club\u2019s offensive ceiling. That reality makes any injury-related update especially significant with Minnesota exactly one month away from Opening Day on March 26 and the start of the 2026 regular season.<\/p>\n

The Twins are also closely monitoring their pitching staff this spring. Starter Pablo Lopez will miss the season following UCL surgery, and Joe Ryan continues to manage back tightness. As a result, injuries are testing the club\u2019s depth early in camp.<\/p>\n

With several key contributors managing health concerns, Minnesota\u2019s margin for early-season setbacks appears increasingly thin entering March.<\/p>\n

For now, the organization is framing Lewis\u2019 scratch as preventative. Still, the Grapefruit League decision underscores how central he remains to the Twins’ ambitions<\/a> and their fanbase for the 2026 season\u2014and how carefully the club must manage his workload moving forward.<\/p>\n