Royce Lewis shines in his return, but the Twins fall to the Blue Jays 6-4 on June 7, 2025, after a mid-game collapse. Can Lewis's bat save the offense?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a game that started with a bang and ended with a whimper. Despite jumping out to a commanding 3-0 lead, the Minnesota Twins couldn't hold on Saturday, falling to the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4 at Target Field. A monster home run from Trevor Larnach and a stellar return from Royce Lewis weren't enough to overcome a mid-game collapse, leaving fans to wonder what could have been.
Royce Lewis was a one-man wrecking crew, going a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI in a performance that proves he's all the way back.
Things couldn't have started better for the Twins. Trevor Larnach blasted a 421-foot solo shot in the first, his team-leading 10th of the year. By the end of the second, RBI hits from Kody Clemens and Christian Vázquez had padded the lead to 3-0, and starter Bailey Ober was cruising, retiring the first eight batters he faced. But the game flipped in the fourth. A hit-by-pitch to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. set the stage for an Addison Barger two-run homer, cutting the lead to one. The Jays struck again in the fifth, with Bo Bichette delivering a clutch two-run single that gave Toronto a lead they would never relinquish.
If there's a silver lining in this loss, it's Royce Lewis. The superstar third baseman looked every bit the part, finishing as the only Twin with multiple hits. He went a perfect 3-for-3, including a double and a crucial RBI single in the eighth inning that pulled Minnesota within striking distance. His plate discipline and raw power are a game-changer for this lineup. While the team couldn't capitalize, stranding the tying runs on base later that inning, Lewis's performance was a massive statement that he is back to being one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball.
Ober's tough outing underscores the current fragility of the Twins' pitching staff. With ace Pablo López still on the 15-day IL with a shoulder strain, the pressure is on the rest of the rotation to deliver quality innings. The front office is clearly still tinkering, recalling RHP Travis Adams from St. Paul and optioning LHP Kody Funderburk ahead of the game. These moves, along with sending Danny Coulombe on a rehab assignment, highlight the ongoing search for stability and depth on the mound as the team navigates a critical stretch of the season.
Ultimately, Saturday was a story of missed opportunities. A brilliant performance from Lewis and an early lead weren't enough to secure the win. The Twins, now 34-29, will need to shake this one off quickly. To win this series and stay competitive, they'll need a more complete team effort, turning hot starts into victories and ensuring that one player's heroics don't go to waste. They'll look to bounce back tomorrow and prove this was just a bump in the road.
