Braves’ perfect trade offer for Twins’ Royce Lewis

The Atlanta Braves should be buyers, so will the Royce Lewis trade buzz get them interested? He hasn’t had a great season to date. Still, here is the Braves’ perfect trade offer for the Twins’ infielder.

Things have been a little uneven for the Braves of late. Heading into Monday’s games, the Braves’ 3-7 record over the last 10 contests was the worst mark in all of baseball. However, at 48-28, the Braves still own the best record in Major League Baseball as teams move in close on the halfway point of the season.

The key question the Braves need to ask themselves is …

Why do the Braves need IF Royce Lewis?

The first place to discover this answer is Lewis’ injury history. The 27-year-old Lewis is a five-year veteran. In those five seasons, he has appeared in 12, 58, 82, 106, and 45 games. Simply put, he hasn’t been able to stay on the field.

Also, his offensive numbers have declined over the past three years. His on-base percentage has been below .300 for three years running. And this year, in 45 games, he has his worst-ever batting average of .203.

Lewis has pop in his bat, but is that enough? Consistent pop would be much more attractive to a pennant contender. The Braves need another bat in their injury-depleted lineup. But will Lewis help, or simply add another body to the IL?

The thing about Lewis is his streaks. When he goes on a heater, he can be a difference-maker in any major-league lineup. Look at last year with what he did in September. Over the last month of the season, Lewis totaled five homers and stole nine bases.

He made the top 10 under-the-radar trade targets, according to The Athletic.

“The only question is: Can he stay healthy?” Jim Bowden wrote. “He’s healthy now, and several contending teams are looking to upgrade at third base. And he can also play first base, so he may get moved. Lewis is still only 27. And although he struggled early in the season and was even optioned to the minors, he’s rebounded, hitting extremely well during his time in Triple A and continuing to mash after returning to the big leagues.”

OK, the next question is …

What would the Braves’ perfect trade offer be?

Here’s the best news for the Braves. The Twins can’t point to anything about Lewis’ career production to drive up the asking price. The numbers simply aren’t there. His career in homers and RBIs are 16 and 52, respectively. Stolen bases? 12.

Therefore, the Braves could offer two lesser prospects to get the deal done. First up would be second baseman Dixon Williams. He’s 22 years old and slated for a 2028 arrival in the big leagues, according to MLB.com.

“(Williams) could be an average hitter in the future with solid on-base skills and strike zone control,” MLB.com wrote. “He drew more walks than strikeouts in his last year of college, part of what helped him get to his power more, with his over-the-fence pop coming mostly to his pull side. His debut with Augusta was solid, but the Braves think the underlying data points to even better contact rates to come.

“A plus runner who swiped 22 bases in 25 tries last year at East Carolina, Williams could have a potentially intriguing power-speed combination in the future. Where he ends up defensively is still up in the air. He played second and third in college, and his arm might be a tad short for the hot corner. But he’ll likely move around some, with center field one day not out of the question for a more likely utility role.”

That’s a good match for Lewis. Of course, the Twins have to wait on Williams. So the Braves would need to package a pitcher in the deal. Rayven Antonio might be the fit. He’s a 20-year-old right-hander who might be three years away, according to MLB.com. The reason for the wait is Tommy John surgery, which will make him miss the 2026 season.

“Strong, athletic and compact, Antonio’s velocity and stuff all ticked up in 2025,” MLB.com wrote. “He has a four- and two-seamer, throwing the former up the zone and the latter with sink, and it averaged close to 94 mph and touched 98. His mid-80s slider is his most consistent secondary offering, missing bats at a solid clip. He uses a low-80s splitter that’s effective at times, though he struggles to land it for strikes.

“When healthy, Antonio has been a solid strike-thrower overall. And his sinker and splitter are particularly effective in getting ground-ball outs. He’ll be only 21 when he returns to the mound at some point in 2027. And it will be interesting to see if the velocity and strikeout gains he showed in 2025 return when he’s 100 percent.”

If the Braves are going to remain on the Dodgers’ level, they will need to make some kind of trade. Will Lewis be part of that equation?