'I don't do that slump thing': Royce Lewis slumping since confident claim

Lewis has been really, really good at Target Field – and that's where the next six games will be played.

Jun 22, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Royce Lewis (23) ducks away from a high and tight pitch from Oakland Athletics pitcher Osvaldo Bido during the third inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports / D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

Royce Lewis is clearly one of the most dangerous hitters in the game, but maybe his hot start after returning from a two-month quad injury made him a little overconfident.

"I pride myself, I told (Twins hitting coach David Popkins on Wednesday), 'Hey, I don't do that slump thing,'" Lewis said June 19. "That's not a real thing for me. I understand that that's a thing, baseball, you're going to go into a slump or whatever, but for me, I don't have that mindset. It's a new day."

Lewis might've cursed himself with that claim because he's currently mired in a 2-for-25 slump over his last six games. He had two hits June 27 against the Diamondbacks while the other five games during the slump were all 0-for-4 performances.

Lewis was slashing .371/.437/.903 (1.340 OPS) entering play June 23. Since then, his season-long numbers have dipped to .287/.351/.678 (1.029 OPS). An 84-point drop in batting average and a 225-point decrease in slugging percentage in the span of a week certainly qualifies as "that slump thing."

Minnesota was off Monday and now Lewis gets to play the next six games at Target Field, where he has obliterated baseballs to the slashing tune of .389/.476/.917 with six of his 10 homers on the season. He's also walked six times compared to just four strikeouts in home games.