Twins DFA ex-Dodgers outfielder after promoting Royce Lewis

On Saturday, the Minnesota Twins reinstated infielder Royce Lewis from Triple-A St. Paul and designated outfielder James Outman for assignment.

Lewis returns to the major league roster after a short stint in the minors following a difficult start to the 2026 season. Before being optioned on May 19, the former No. 1 overall pick had recorded a .163 batting average with a .261 on-base percentage, a .279 slugging percentage and a .540 OPS across 31 games and 119 plate appearances.

His performance at Triple-A, however, was dramatically different. Over 67 plate appearances, including two earlier rehab appearances, Lewis hit .333 with a .403 on-base percentage and a .900 slugging percentage, producing a remarkable 1.303 OPS. He launched 10 home runs while striking out only 13 times. During his time in St. Paul, Lewis also expanded his defensive versatility by seeing action at first base and second base in addition to his customary role at third.

While injuries have frequently interrupted Lewis’ career, his offensive numbers have also declined from his standout 2023 season. Since Opening Day 2024, he has hit .225/.285/.398 across 847 plate appearances.

To create roster space, Minnesota designated Outman for assignment, ending his 10-month tenure with the organization. The Twins acquired the outfielder from the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2025 trade deadline in exchange for right-handed pitcher Brock Stewart.

After the trade, Outman was unable to find consistent success offensively. He batted .147 with four home runs, seven RBIs and a .558 OPS in 37 games for Minnesota late in 2025. This season, he appeared in 49 games primarily as a defensive replacement and pinch runner, hitting .156 with 10 hits in 64 at-bats, three RBIs, four stolen bases and a .479 OPS. He is slashing just .156/.229/.250 this year.

The 29-year-old’s recent form is light years removed from his breakout 2023 season in Los Angeles, when he hit .248 with 23 home runs, 70 RBIs and a .790 OPS over 567 plate appearances. He finished third in National League Rookie of the Year voting behind Corbin Carroll and Kodai Senga while ranking in the 95th percentile in Outs Above Average and the 89th percentile in sprint speed.

However, offensive issues persisted after that season. Since the start of 2024, Outman has hit just .144/.235/.284 across 374 major league plate appearances, leading the Twins to move on as Lewis rejoins the organization.