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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