PHOENIX – After missing 58 games because of a partially torn quadricep, Royce Lewis knows there is no chance he’ll be selected to play in the All-Star Game despite his incredible pace of homers to begin a season.
Royce Lewis open to competing in MLB Home Run Derby — if asked
With no chance of participating in the All-Star Game, third baseman Royce Lewis said he is open to the alternative.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
June 27, 2024 at 1:51AM
“Carlos [Correa] told me a homer every day, every other day,” said Lewis, who had the ninth-most votes among American League third basemen in the latest balloting update. “We started off really well, almost every other day was a homer.”
Lewis has cooled slightly and entered Wednesday with 10 homers and 14 RBI in 19 games, posting a .329 batting average and a 1.192 OPS.
Perhaps, a more realistic possibility would be the Home Run Derby. No one from Major League Baseball has contacted Lewis about participating, but he would be open to it. No Twins player in franchise history was quicker to hit 10 homers in a season.
“I would love to,” Lewis said. “I don’t know if I’m in control of that. I’m probably not allowed to do anything, but we’ll see what happens. I would love to. That’d be sick.”
Aaron Judge, who has a league-leading 29 homers and won the 2017 Home Run Derby, told the New York Post he declined after he was asked whether he had interest in competing in the event this year at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Shohei Ohtani, who participated in 2021, said he’d consider it, but it would have to be approved by his doctors as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.
There are occasional Home Run Derby participants who weren’t picked for the All-Star team, like Trey Mancini in 2021.
Lewis, who has totaled 31 homers in 95 career games when including the postseason, competed in the 2016 high school Home Run Derby at Petco Park in San Diego, alongside Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene and Los Angeles Angels outfielder Jo Adell.
“I’d love to be a part of any of the festivities,” Lewis said. “It’s so cool and Texas is home for me, so I’d get to go home and have family come out. It’d be fun.”
The Twins haven’t had a Home Run Derby participant since Miguel Sanó in 2017.
High-profile victims in Minnesota include Mike Conley of the Timberwolves and Twins co-owner Jim Pohlad.
