Twins put Royce Lewis (hamstring) on IL, Byron Buxton exits

HOUSTON — The Minnesota Twins placed third baseman Royce Lewis on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a left hamstring strain.

Also on Saturday, center fielder Byron Buxton left the 3-2 loss to the Astros in the seventh inning with a bruised left elbow after being hit by a pitch an inning earlier.

Lewis was injured running to first base on a single in the ninth inning of Friday night’s 10-3 loss to Houston and had an MRI on Saturday.

Manager Rocco Baldelli said it was a mild strain.

“It’s not a severe strain, but it is a strain that’s going to keep him off the field for a little bit,” Baldelli said. “Definitely disappointing, but these are things that we deal with.”

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Lewis said the doctors didn’t give him a timeframe for the injury but that he was already feeling better Saturday so he hopes he isn’t out too long.

The injury to Lewis comes after he missed the first 35 games of the season with a moderate strain of the same hamstring that occurred running out a ground ball in spring training.

Lewis, the first overall pick in the 2017 draft, has been plagued by injuries in his career. He played just 82 games last season while missing time with a severe quadriceps strain and a groin injury. Those injuries came after he tore the ACL in his right knee in both 2021 and 2022.

Lewis, who homered Friday night, is hitting .202 with two home runs and nine RBIs in 30 games this season.

He was asked whether the timing of this injury was extra frustrating because he was just starting to heat up at the plate.

“I think it’s frustrating in general,” he said. “I’m tired of being the one that’s getting bullied and picked on by this game.”

Houston starter Hunter Brown plunked Buxton on the left elbow to start the sixth inning. He was looked at by a trainer but remained in the game before being replaced in center field by Harrison Bader in the bottom of the seventh.

Baldelli said he’s day-to-day with the injury.

“It caught him very, very square, and it’s gonna hurt,” Baldelli said. “He feels it and he’s having trouble moving it too, too much. We’re not worried long term, but right now he’s hurting.”