Twins lineup: Royce Lewis hitting fifth, Castro returns, Bader scratched

Lewis will be the designated hitter for his season debut on Tuesday night against the Orioles.

Sep 26, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third base Royce Lewis (23) steps out of the batter’s box agains the Miami Marlins at Target Field. | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Freshly activated off of the IL, Royce Lewis is set to make his 2025 debut for the Twins on Tuesday night at Target Field. He's hitting fifth and starting at designated hitter against the Baltimore Orioles and left-handed pitcher Cade Povich.

The Twins (15-20) are hoping Lewis can provide a spark to an offense that has scored 3.8 runs per game this season (23rd in MLB). They've also hit just 0.8 home runs per game (25th) and have a collective .674 OPS (23rd). Lewis has missed substantial time due to injury since his Twins debut in 2022, but when he's been on the field, he's produced at the plate. He has 33 home runs and an .825 OPS in 152 career games, as well as four more homers in six playoff games in 2023.

Lewis has a bit of a habit of homering in his first game back with the Twins. He did it in his season debut in 2023, in his playoff debut that year, on Opening Day in 2024, and in his return from an injury last June. So keep an eye out for some potential fireworks from No. 23 on Tuesday night.

Lewis had been out since suffering a hamstring strain while running out a ground ball in a mid-March spring training contest. He recently went on a rehab assignment with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints, playing in six games. Lewis was just 4 for 23 with St. Paul, but he also struggled on a rehab assignment last year and then came up and hit nine home runs in a 15-game stretch for the Twins.

Willi Castro also makes his return for the Twins on Tuesday. The utility man and 2024 All-Star hasn't played since April 16 due to an oblique injury. He's hitting ninth and playing left field.

Minnesota's originally-posted lineup included Harrison Bader in left, but he was scratched due to illness. Bader, who has been one of the Twins' best players this season, could be available off the bench if he feels better during the game, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters. In the meantime, Castro shifts from right field to left, with Trevor Larnach added to the lineup to play in right and hit against a lefty starter. Here's the full lineup:

Byron Buxton CF
Ryan Jeffers C
Ty France 1B
Carlos Correa SS
Royce Lewis DH
Brooks Lee 2B
Jonah Bride 3B
Trevor Larnach RF
Willi Castro LF

Pablo Lopez gets the start on the mound for the Twins. Available to Baldelli off the bench are Christian Vazquez, Kody Clemens, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. and potentially Bader.

First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. CT at Target Field.