Twins’ Royce Lewis controls what he can control — effort and attitude — as he deals with slump

Royce Lewis has a habit of making big news when he returns from a lengthy injury. But this isn’t what he had in mind.

After six weeks on the injured list with a strained right hamstring, Lewis returned Tuesday, hoping to make a big impact right away but wary of predicting too much, given his 4-for-23 rehab assignment at St. Paul.

“I’m just worried about playing and giving my all,” he said before his first at-bat of the Twins’ season. “Hitting one out, that’d be great. That’d be awesome. … But no, I’m just happy to be on the field again.”

Through five games since his return, no home run has appeared. Nor a hit, actually; after Saturday’s 2-1 victory over San Francisco, in which he grounded out twice and popped up once, Lewis is 0-for-13 this year.

That wouldn’t be particularly remarkable, except for one coincidental fact: His 2024 season ended on an 0-for-21 skid. That means the former first overall draft pick is suffering through one of the five longest hitless streaks in Twins history, 0-for-34. The longest streak ever by a Twins position player is Butch Wynegar’s 0-for-40 in 1978, and only Jerry Zimmerman (37), Charlie Manuel (36) and Tom Nieto (34, tied with Lewis) have longer dry spells.

But Lewis is keeping his cool, and his sense of humor, as he works on breaking out.

“You know, I keep it humble, but we’re 5-0 since Royce got here,” Lewis said with a smile. “I’m not worried about it. You know the tides will turn, like you’ve seen everyone have slow starts. [Pitchers are] painting corners. I haven’t gotten many in the heart of the zone. I’ve analyzed it, and I don’t think it’s anything wrong. I’m making good decisions and not swinging at bad pitches. So that makes me happy. It’s all I can control.”

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli sees signs, he said, of Lewis working his way out of this slow start. It’s not easy getting ready when your spring training is cut short, he said.

“He’s finding his timing and finding his swing and working hard every day to do that, and that’s where he’s at right now. We’ve seen some good passes and good at-bats from him, and now it’s just stacking those upon each other,” Baldelli said. “Finding that consistency at the plate. Finding that vision at the plate. Seeing the ball where he wants to see it, so he can attack the pitches he wants to. He’s basically working to get where he needs to be, and that’s fine. That’s where a lot of guys are in this league right now.”

The Giants wore Golden State Warriors caps during batting practice before Saturday night’s game, showing their support for the Timberwolves’ current playoff opponent.

Giants manager Bob Melvin, who grew up in the Bay Area, said he’s been a Warriors fan since he was 5. And while he likes the current team, and enjoyed the Warriors’ four NBA championships over the past decade, “the 1975 team was my favorite,” Melvin said.

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Those Warriors, led by Hall of Famer Rick Barry, swept the four games of the NBA Finals against the Washington Bullets.

The Twins have so far made no similar show of support for the Wolves, their neighbors across Target Plaza, although Byron Buxton was spotted in attendance at Thursday’s game.

Baldelli said he has tried to follow their playoff run, but it’s not easy in a house with three children under 5.

“When I’m home, Disney Plus dominates my television, along with Netflix Kids, and that’s about it,” Baldelli said. “I just don’t have the ability to follow everything that’s going on, but I try.”

• Outfielder Matt Wallner, expected to miss this month while recovering from his own hamstring injury, has begun adding turns to his running workout, after being limited to running in a straight line early in his rehab. It’s a small step, but one that demonstrates some progress, he said. Wallner also blasted a mammoth home run into the plaza during batting practice.

• Emmanuel Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the seventh, his second day in a row with a home run, giving the St. Paul Saints a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Bisons in CHS Field. Saints starting pitcher Zebby Matthews struck out four with no walks on five hits in 5⅓ innings. The run was unearned, so he lowered his ERA to 1.93.

Longest oh-fers in Twins history:

40 Butch Wynegar, 1978

37 Jerry Zimmerman, 1967

36 Charlie Manuel, 1969

34 Tom Nieto, 1987-88

34 Royce Lewis, 2024-25

33 Jermaine Palacios, 2022

33 Bobby Mitchell, 1982

33 Gene Larkin, 1988

32 Greg Gagne, 1991

31 Oswaldo Arcia, 2014