Rehabbing Royce Lewis 'heading in the right direction'

Lewis has missed 17 straight games after being injured in the season opener.

Sep 15, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (23) round the bases / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

It's been a little more than three weeks since Royce Lewis suffered a severe quad strain in the Minnesota Twins' March 28 season opener against the Kansas City Royals, and while there isn't a clear timetable for his return he is making progress.

According to SKOR North's Declan Goff, Lewis has been doing some hitting and could begin running next week. Goff was told that Lewis is "heading in the right direction."

Royce Lewis has started baseball activities. He swung off a tee and stood in on some bullpens today. The plan is to get him in some running progressions next week, and is "heading in the right direction." #MNTwins

— Declan Goff (@DexsTweets) April 20, 2024

That's an encouraging update after the Twins announced Lewis would miss at least one month of action and The Athletic's Aaron Gleeman suggesting in early April that the star third baseman missing two months "would likely be viewed as a positive outcome" and that the Twins "need to be prepared to play most or perhaps even all of the first half" without him. 

Lewis homered in his first at-bat of the season and then singled in his second at-bat before suffering the strained quadriceps muscle while rounding second base. Minnesota has used a platoon of Kyle Farmer, Jose Miranda and Willi Castro to fill the void at third base, though nobody on the roster has been able to come close to producing at the plate the way Lewis has in his short time in the majors.

Meanwhile, the Twins have lost relief pitcher Daniel Duarte for the season. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on his elbow May 8, according to the Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale Jr.