The Minnesota Twins reinstated third baseman Royce Lewis from the injured list Tuesday after a 15-game absence because of a recurrence of the hamstring strain that delayed his season debut.
Lewis joined the Twins for the start of a three-game series at Miami. He hurt his left hamstring while running out a grounder in the ninth inning of a game on June 13, a less severe strain than the one he suffered late in spring training. That injury sidelined him for seven weeks, costing him the first 35 games of the season.
Lewis went 0 for 8 with one walk on a three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul.
Lewis has played in only 182 regular-season games since making his major league debut in 2022, and this year has been the first time the interruption seems to have affected his production. Lewis is batting just .202 with a .585 OPS and two home runs in 30 games this season. He had 32 straight hitless at-bats from May 19 to June 3.
Right before his latest setback, though, he had just gotten in a rhythm by going 9 for 20 with a home run and four RBIs in his last six games. The Twins are 18-12 in games Lewis has played in this season, despite his struggle at the plate, and 22-32 without him.
The first overall pick in the 2017 draft was limited to 82 games last season by a severe quadriceps strain he suffered running the bases in the opener and later by a groin injury. The previous two years for Lewis were limited by recoveries from successive ACL surgeries.
Minnesota Twins (40-44, third in the AL Central) vs. Miami Marlins (37-45, fourth in the NL East)
Miami; Tuesday, 5:40 p.m. Pregame 5:00 p.m. on 830 WCCO and the Audacy app (in-market restrictions apply)
PITCHING PROBABLES: Twins: Joe Ryan (8-3, 2.86 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 104 strikeouts); Marlins: Edward Cabrera (2-2, 3.78 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 69 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Twins -145, Marlins +121; over/under is 7 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Miami Marlins open a three-game series at home against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.
Miami has a 37-45 record overall and a 17-24 record at home. Marlins hitters have a collective .317 on-base percentage, the 10th-ranked percentage in the NL.
Minnesota is 40-44 overall and 18-27 on the road. The Twins have a 29-13 record in games when they record eight or more hits.
The teams meet Tuesday for the first time this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kyle Stowers leads the Marlins with 29 extra base hits (13 doubles, three triples and 13 home runs). Otto Lopez is 17 for 41 with two doubles, two home runs and 15 RBIs over the past 10 games.
Byron Buxton has a .281 batting average to lead the Twins, and has 10 doubles, three triples and 19 home runs. Brooks Lee is 13 for 41 with a home run and seven RBIs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Marlins: 8-2, .271 batting average, 4.21 ERA, outscored opponents by 14 runs
Twins: 3-7, .221 batting average, 6.44 ERA, outscored by 25 runs
INJURIES: Marlins: Ryan Weathers: 60-Day IL (lat), Jesus Tinoco: 15-Day IL (forearm), Max Meyer: 15-Day IL (hip), Derek Hill: 10-Day IL (wrist), Rob Brantly: 60-Day IL (lat), Griffin Conine: 60-Day IL (arm), Andrew Nardi: 60-Day IL (back), Braxton Garrett: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Twins: Pablo Lopez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Zebby Matthews: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Luke Keaschall: 60-Day IL (forearm)
The Associated Press contributed to this story.