HARSH DECISION: Minnesota Twin GM Thad Levine Harsh Decision On Royce Lewis Amidst Is Refusing to Play 2nd Base For The Minnesota Twins

When healthy, Royce Lewis has been the Minnesota Twins’ starting third baseman in 2024, and his importance to the organization’s present and future is undeniable. Originally a shortstop, the 2017 No. 1 overall choice has had a difficult time transitioning to multiple positions at the major league level.

However, when the Twins signed Carlos Correa to a long-term contract, it signified a far more permanent position adjustment. He tried centre field during his second call-up, in late May 2022. That experiment lasted only a few innings when he ran into the centre field wall and tore his ACL.

At that point, Royce Lewis’ future in the outfield was pretty much ruled out. But don’t worry, third base has been the most sensible option for quite some time. Jose Miranda slipped off a production cliff after an impressive 2022, paving the way for Lewis.

Royce Lewis has gotten acclimated to playing third base.
So that’s where Royce has spent the majority of his MLB innings, defensively. He has appeared as a third baseman 84 times in 128 major league games. That compares to only 12 appearances at shortstop, 11 of which occurred in early May 2022, when he made his MLB debut, filling in for an ailing Carlos Correa.

That equals 96 games on the left side of the infield. Aside from that, Lewis has DH’d in 30 games and played three innings each at centerfield (the aforementioned ACL injury) and second base. The latter appearance, at second base, occurred over the weekend.

Royce got some pre-game training at second base last week, just in case Baldelli needed to play him there in a hurry. That pinch came on Sunday, when he was forced to play there after a late-inning pinch hit appearance.
Royce Lewis has made it obvious over the previous week that he does not enjoy switching positions during a playoff race. That’s logical given that he’s never truly played second base, save from a few games in the Arizona Fall League, where everyone plays out of position.

Lewis refusing to play second base for the Minnesota Twins?

But on Monday, he spoke with reporters again about the possibility of playing more innings on the right side of the infield. This time, the 25-year-old did not spare his words. Royce dislikes playing second base, and he sees no need to play there again this season. “We have plenty of really good second basemen,” he stated bluntly.
Why is the California child terrified of his own shadow at second base? There is no wall for him to run against, as there is with CF. If you play baseball or softball, you’ll understand where Lewis is coming from. The majority of the game is mental.

Why does Royce Lewis treat a job change like meeting the boogeyman?

What should I do if the ball is hit towards me? What if it is hit in the LF or RF? You must be aware of all of these details prior to each pitch, and your responsibilities will vary from pitch to pitch. What should I do when bunting to the right vs. left side? What are my responsibilities on a steal? The scenarios are limitless.

When you play the same position repeatedly, the principles become so embedded in your mind that you no longer remember them. They simply happen, like baseball reflexes. But if you change postures, all of that muscle memory is lost.
Yes, you are probably aware of the majority of the obligations for that new role, but you must consider them now, making it much more difficult to play the game professionally.

This is why the Willi Castros of baseball are so rare. Utility players must be well familiar with the tasks of each position. That is not easy, and Royce Lewis is not interested in taking on extra obligations.

That last quote definitely hits me in the worst way. I’ve spent the entire post attempting to give Royce Lewis the benefit of the doubt about his evident [and very public] refusal to play second base for the Minnesota Twins.

But, holy shit, could you sound more selfish as a teammate than he does in this interview? “I believe we demonstrated I am an athlete. Now, let’s just keep playing regular baseball.”

Not a good look for the young rising star.

I understand his fear of making a mistake, especially on such a large stage. Nobody wants to be the infielder who isn’t happy with his responsibilities, especially in the Major League Baseball. But sometimes you have to venture outside of your comfort zone to help the team succeed. Isn’t this what he claims to care about?