Minnesota Twins infielder Royce Lewis avoided a serious injury after inadvertently somersaulting and landing on his head while running out a ground ball late in Sunday's defeat to the Cleveland Guardians.
Lewis was motoring down the first-base line to try and leg out an infield single but had to stop quickly to avoid colliding with Guardians first baseman Gabriel Arias, who was blocking his path while fielding a wide throw. Lewis flipped over Arias, and his neck appeared to turn awkwardly on the landing.
(Video source: MLB.com)
Lewis was able to leave the field under his own power, and while shaken up, he was no worse for wear postgame.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said that the former first overall pick didn't sustain a concussion and was dealing with a sore shoulder. Lewis also had a cut on his face, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic.
"More just shaken up, and that's very fortunate for us," Baldelli said, per The Associated Press.
For Lewis, who turns 24 on Monday, the injury scare came in just his sixth game since returning from a torn ACL sustained last June. He said postgame that the Twins' defeat during Sunday's series finale bothered him more than any ailments from the collision, according to Hayes.
"I'm tired of running into people and walls. It's just the worst luck right there," he said, adding that he doesn't remember the somersault.
Royce Lewis: "I felt like I ran into a car backwards."
— Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) June 4, 2023
Thinks he'll be pretty sore for a day or so. Is grateful for tomorrow's off-day to recover.
Injuries have hit the Twins hard over the past few weeks. Minnesota placed slugger Joey Gallo on the IL on Thursday, while stars Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton didn't play this weekend due to plantar fasciitis and rib issues, respectively.
Lewis owns a .680 OPS with two homers and six RBIs in six games this season.
