The Minnesota Twins should bring Royce Lewis back in 2027 with real competition for playing time. His remaining upside warrants another opportunity, while his recent production makes a guaranteed everyday assignment difficult to defend.

The Twins watched Lewis hit .309/.372/.548 in 58 games during 2023. Minnesota received a .227/.287/.380 line with 15 home runs in 125 games this year, leaving a substantial gap between his early promise and current results.

The decline stretched across several years. His .237/.283/.388 production in 2025 was close to his latest finish, so 2026 represented another year without a sustained recovery rather than a sudden new collapse. 

That distinction matters for the offseason decision. The Twins have seen enough of Lewis’ ceiling to understand the appeal of patience. They also have enough recent evidence to build a lineup that can withstand another disappointing year.

Keeping Lewis Should Require a Different Commitment

MLB Trade Rumors projected Lewis’ 2027 arbitration salary at $5.1 million, as detailed in the Twins’ arbitration outlook. That is an estimate, not an agreed-upon contract, but it gives Minnesota a useful starting point for evaluating his cost. 

The strongest argument for retaining him is straightforward: Lewis is 27, has produced at a much higher level, and has demonstrated improved availability by reaching 125 Major League games. Moving on would require the front office to find a replacement while surrendering its opportunity to benefit from a rebound.

His defensive assignment makes the calculation harder. The early 2027 roster projection places Brooks Lee at third base, Kaelen Culpepper at shortstop, and Kody Clemens at second. First base remains the clearest opening for Lewis.

A first baseman needs to contribute enough offense to justify occupying a position where Minnesota could pursue another bat. Lewis’ previous status as a potential franchise centerpiece should not decide that competition.

His strikeout rate supplied another reason to demand improvement. It rose from 19.9% in 2025 to 25.5% in 2026, making lost contact a concrete concern alongside the weaker overall results.

Minnesota should tender Lewis a contract and avoid extending the commitment beyond what his performance has earned. The next step should be acquiring credible competition at first base, rather than assuming his return resolves the position.

Build the Fallback Before Another Slump Arrives

The Twins should pursue a veteran capable of starting at first base and handling enough work to take over if necessary. That player should improve the roster even if Lewis rebounds, giving manager Derek Shelton options across first base, designated hitter, and the bench.

Clemens could provide another route to first, although moving him would create a second-base assignment that also needs to be covered. The point is to prepare a complete alternative, rather than count the same player as the solution to two vacancies.

Minnesota should also establish an early review point. By late May, the club should evaluate Lewis’ swing decisions, contact and production together, with playing time adjusted if the underlying problems persist. That is a proposed approach, not a reported team deadline.

A reduced role could preserve an opportunity for improvement without requiring the lineup to absorb every difficult stretch. A platoon would make sense only if his performance against particular matchups justified it.

A return to Triple-A would provide another possibility. RosterResource listed Lewis with two minor league options remaining, giving Minnesota developmental flexibility beyond simply keeping him in the everyday lineup. 

The front office can listen to trade offers, too. A worthwhile return could make a move sensible, but trading him solely to remove a difficult decision would risk exchanging potential upside for a replacement problem.

Non-tendering Lewis should be considered only if Minnesota’s evaluation and available alternatives outweigh the value of retaining him. The Twins’ offseason priorities already identified competition at first base as part of the solution.

Lewis has earned another chance to recover. Minnesota should make that chance part of a stronger roster, with a replacement ready if the improvement never arrives.