Twins Scratch Lewis Due to Right-Side Tightness as Precaution

The Minnesota Twins’ spring training is all about health and depth this year. Precautionary scratches, nagging shoulder and elbow issues, and a scramble to fill out the rotation have shaped the early camp vibe.

That’s already coloring how the roster might look when games start to count in late March.

Injury Tides Shape Twins’ Spring Camp

Royce Lewis got scratched from an exhibition game after feeling tightness in his right side during pregame baserunning. The Twins called it precautionary, but it’s hard not to worry a bit.

Lewis’ health history is a constant cloud over every drill or sprint. He’s still working back from the hamstring strain last spring that delayed his season debut until May 6.

Key injuries and their implications

Several injuries are forcing the Twins to rethink their lineup and rotation depth. Here’s where things stand:

• Royce Lewis — scratched for right-side tightness after baserunning. The team’s being extra careful because of his earlier hamstring injury.
• David Festa — shut down from throwing for about two weeks to let a shoulder impingement heal. This will push back his early-season timeline. The club says this is a new injury, not the one that sidelined him last season.
• Pablo López — had elbow surgery Wednesday and won’t pitch at all in 2026. The procedure stopped short of a full ligament reconstruction, so he’s expected back for 2027.
• Joe Ryan — paused his throwing program due to lower back tightness. He should be ready for Opening Day on March 26.

Rotation Depth Under Scrutiny

The Twins came into camp with a rotation plan, but López’s injury for 2026 blew a hole in it. Now, they’re trying to sort out five spots with only a handful of sure things.

Six-pack of rotation options

The coaching staff is eyeing six pitchers who could start or work long relief early on. Here’s the mix:

• Joe Ryan — an All-Star caliber arm who anchored the staff in 2024-2025, but he’s currently paused for back tightness.
• Bailey Ober — a steady option when healthy, still in the running as a top-rotation guy.
• Taj Bradley — a young pitcher with some ceiling, maybe ready for a bigger role as camp moves along.
• Simeon Woods Richardson — another homegrown starter with a solid minor league track record and some MLB experience.
• Zebby Matthews — a depth piece who could push for innings later, maybe more of a factor in 2026.
• Mick Abel — a prospect who’s familiar to Twins fans, offering depth and some genuine upside.

Roster Moves and Opening Day Outlook

With López hitting the injured list and Festa on the shelf, Minnesota had to move quickly to manage the 40-man roster. The front office made some moves to keep options open while the medical staff sorts out who’s actually available for the early schedule.

Recent roster moves

The Twins just claimed right-handed reliever Zak Kent off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals to create a 40-man roster spot. At the same time, they put Pablo López on the 60-day injured list, hoping to reload their bullpen and rotation depth.

With Joe Ryan hitting pause due to back tightness and López sidelined, Minnesota now leans on a pretty broad, mostly untested pool of arms. It’s not exactly the dream scenario for the early season grind.

Right now, the Twins are walking into camp with several pitching injuries and a cautious approach to lineup health. That really highlights just how much they’ll need depth and development this year.

If things break their way and the injuries clear up, maybe they’ll pull together that familiar core rotation. But if not, they’ll have to trust their prospects and relievers to fill in, at least for a while.

 
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