When will Twins star Royce Lewis return? ‘He’s not coming back until he’s completely healthy’
Royce Lewis was spotted roaming the Twins’ clubhouse on Thursday afternoon at Target Field.
He dapped up some of his teammates after the Twins put the finishing touches on a 11-1 win over the Seattle Mariners. He then said his goodbyes as they hit the road for a short series in Canada against the Toronto Blue Jays, while he stayed behind to continue rehab on a quadriceps strain he suffered on Opening Day.
Though it looks like Lewis is getting closer to returning from the injured list, manager Rocco Baldelli made it clear the Twins will not rush the process.
“He’s where he needs to be right now,” Baldelli said. “He’s still got some work to do, to get completely healthy. He’s not coming back until he’s completely healthy. He’s getting close.”
There is still no firm timetable on when Lewis will resume baseball activities, nor is there clarity on how long of a rehab assignment he’ll need once he’s ready.
“We’re not there yet,” Baldelli said. “We still have a little bit of time. We have to get through some things. We have some hurdles to still clear.”
This has been another lesson in patience for Lewis, who, notably, has torn the ACL in his right knee twice in his career. Maybe the hardest part for Lewis is how competitive he is. He likely feels like he’s ready to push it more than he’s being allowed to right now.
Not that the Twins are going to budge on their plan of attack.
“When he’s able to play, believe me, I’ll be the first person with a big smile on my face, writing his name on the lineup card,” Baldelli said. “He’s getting there.”
Correa gets rest day
Carlos Correa had a scheduled rest day, and that’s why he wasn’t in the lineup when the Twins hosted the Mariners on Thursday.
“We just put him in there every day and he just plays, so he’s been due for a day.” Baldelli said. “He probably needed a day at some point previously this week and he didn’t get it.”
The plan is for Correa to return to the lineup on Friday afternoon when the Twins travel to play the Toronto Blue Jays.
“This was something we had to do,” Baldelli said. “He’ll be ready to go forward from here.”
Thielbar at full strength
After returning from the injured list last month, Caleb Thielbar only pitched in certain situations out the bullpen as he worked back into a groove. He appears to be back to full strength now with the Twins comfortable using him in pretty much any situation.
“We just put Caleb in games and if he faces righties, he faces righties,” Baldelli said. “That’s something he can do. When he first returned and came back this season, I think kind of easing him back in was important. I think we’re probably at the point where that’s over with, though, and now he’s just a member of the bullpen.”
A calling card for the left-handed Thielbar throughout his career is fact that he can pitch against lefties or righties out of the bullpen. That’s not always the case for southpaws out of the bullpen.
“He’s still able to go out there because he’s got a unique look to him,” Baldelli said. “It’s just a really particular way that the ball comes out of his hand and the angles that he uses. He’s good. There’s a reason why he keeps having this sustained success.”
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