The Minnesota Twins made it very clear both before and during the trade deadline that they believe this team is capable of reaching the postseason.
They acquired Dean Kremer to strengthen the rotation and added some veteran relievers in Jeff Hoffman and A.J. Minter to help the bullpen. The front office clearly believed that the pitching staff needed the most help, and they weren’t wrong.
The question lies in what they didn’t do, though. Minnesota never landed an impact bat, and that’s what many thought they needed.
That decision could come back to haunt them or it could prove exactly what they have confidence in. The team isn’t expecting an outside influence to carry this offense; they are betting Royce Lewis can step up and do the job.
Talent Has Never Been the Question
Lewis has an incredible set of tools that are hard to match. He is athletic, has great bat speed and can change the tone of the game when he’s healthy.
At his best, he changes the complexion of the lineup for the Twins. His middle-of-the-order power forces pitchers to rethink their at-bats.
Looking at his season stats makes one question whether the decision is correct to bet on Lewis. His overall numbers are not elite. He is hitting .233 with 12 home runs and 37 RBI over the course of 80 games. He has posted a .726 OPS.
But, if you just look at the season, you are missing the recent surge. Over his last seven games, he is batting .407 with two home runs and a .704 slugging percentage. Zoom out a little farther to his last 15 games and he’s still hitting .302.
The Twins are betting that the latest version of Lewis is the one they have believed in the whole time. Lewis appears to be settling in after his brief stint on the injured list to start the season.
Trade Deadline Raised the Stakes
The Twins made a statement at the trade deadline. They believe in their offense. Or at least they believe enough in their offense that they didn’t go get another impact hitter.
That places Lewis in the spotlight. He needs to perform and now is the time. No one on this team has a higher ceiling than Lewis. He can change the game with one swing, and this team is going to need some of those “one swings” through the final push of the season.
Minnesota is well within striking distance of the American League Central division and the Wild Card race. At 56-59, they certainly haven’t been stellar, but they have kept themselves in the conversation. They sit just four games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox, who are only at 59-54.
The Wild Card race is even closer where Minnesota is just one game back of the final spot.
So, with the front office placing its confidence in the team, it’s time for the players to start believing in that theory as well and producing.
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