Sep 6, 2023 - Sports

Royce Lewis' legend grows after fourth grand slam

Nick Halter

Royce Lewis celebrates with teammates after a grand slam — Royce Lewis celebrates in the dugout after hitting a grand slam Monday. Photo: Ron Schwane/Getty Images

It took only 56 games and just over 200 at-bats for rookie Royce Lewis to become a Minnesota Twins folk hero.

What happened: Lewis hit his fourth career grand slam on Monday. MLB.com reports that he is the first rookie to hit three grand slams in eight games or fewer.

Why it matters: The third baseman has ignited what had been a bad offense the first half of the season and has helped the Twins mount a strong lead over Cleveland for the AL Central division title.

By the numbers: Going into Tuesday night's game, Lewis was hitting .317 and already had 11 home runs. It's a small sample size, but few Twins rookies have hit like Lewis to start their careers.

Flashback: In 2017, the Twins selected Lewis with the first overall pick in the MLB draft.

But his ascension to the big leagues has been detoured several times.
He missed the 2020 season because COVID canceled minor league play; he missed all of 2021 with a torn ACL, and most of 2022 with another torn ACL.

The bottom line: As long as he can stay healthy, the Twins' future looks bright.

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Royce Lewis' legend grows after fourth grand slam

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