Royce Lewis Says ‘Life's Not So Bad,' Then Homers on First Pitch Since Demotion

Lewis is keeping a positive attitude, despite being demoted amid his extensive struggles with the Twins.

Apr 7, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (23) reacts after being walked during the eighth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images | Jordan Johnson-Imagn Images

Royce Lewis suited up for the St. Paul Saints on Thursday and homered on the first pitch he saw.

It was Lewis's first game at Triple-A after being demoted earlier this week, the result of what was essentially a slump that dated back 200 games to the middle of the 2024 season. His struggles bottomed out in 34 games with the Twins this season as he was hitting .163/.261/.279 with three home runs, three doubles, and 37 strikeouts in 104 at-bats before his demotion on Tuesday.

Lewis still has the perspective that he's getting paid to play baseball, so life's not so bad.

"This is not struggling, by any means," Lewis told reporters before Thursday's game. "I'm getting paid to play a children's game that I have loved since I was 2 years old. I'm having a great time. I have friends all over; it doesn't matter where I'm playing. I'm just open to playing baseball, so I'm glad I'm here, playing."

Lewis said he was informed about the demotion by Twins manager Derek Shelton and general manager Jeremy Zoll.

"It was relatively quick," Lewis recalled when asked about that conversation. "Like he said, 'Do you have anything to say? We're optioning you. Do you have anything to say?' I was like, there's no words. Obviously, you're upset. Anyone's going to be upset when they get demoted in their job. That's life. You just gotta keep working hard and figure it out."

When asked if he understood why the Twins made the call to send him down, Lewis paused and answered: "I don't think it's my job to understand, do you know what I mean? I think it's my job to just continue to work hard and enjoy the process."

Lewis's batting average topped out at .222 on April 9, the same day he suffered a left knee sprain that plunged him onto the 10-day injured list. He returned on April 21, and in 19 games with the Twins, he slashed .132/.189/.191 with one homer and five RBIs.

First of all, it's never good to stop and go. No matter if you were hurt or not. I think it was just the timing. I was coming back, trying to get my timing, trying to get comfy again. I felt like I was on a roll, getting really hot right before, and so it was kind of just crappy timing there. Just bad luck, really," Lewis said. "It was a freak little twist of the knee and getting stuck at home plate. That's what happens when it rains, and it's 30 degrees in Minnesota, and the clay gets a little bit harder."

Royce Lewis reported to St. Paul on Thursday.

This time for a reset, not rehab.

Our @DWolfsonKSTP and other media chatted with Royce today as he looks to get his swing and confidence back. pic.twitter.com/Stcr12ooF9

— KSTPSports (@KSTPSports) May 22, 2026

Lewis finished 1-for-4 after hitting the homer on the first pitch he saw. Afterward, he grounded out to third base twice and popped out to the catcher in foul territory.

The Twins (23-27) are only 1.5 games out of a wild-card spot in the American League playoff race. We're only 50 games into the season, but the door is still wide open, despite Lewis giving the Twins next to nothing, along with a shaky bullpen and injuries to starting pitchers Pablo Lopez, Taj Bradley, and Mick Abel.

How long Lewis has to spend at Triple-A will be answered by his performance, coupled with the MLB performances of Orlando Arcia, Ryan Kreidler, and others.