Here's what Lewis' return could mean for Twins 

MINNEAPOLIS -- Royce Lewis always seems to find a way to make a big impression upon his return to the field, and the Twins will hope for more of that magic to fuel their stretch run after they activated him from the IL on Tuesday.

As Lewis often does, he made mincemeat of Triple-A pitching during a rehab assignment following his recovery from a left oblique strain, clubbing two homers and knocking five hits in his four games with Triple-A St. Paul. After missing 36 games, he picked right back up where he left off with an RBI single as part of the Twins’ five-run sixth inning in a 5-3 win over the Tigers at Target Field.

“We look at each other in the dugout every time he comes back,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We’re like, ‘Of course he’s coming up in this spot.’ You just think he’s going to go out there and do it again, and he did.”

The former No. 1 overall Draft pick and one-time top prospect in the organization had been one of the few bright spots in the lineup while the offense around him struggled to find consistency this summer. Lewis has been particularly impactful against left-handed pitching, which has been a season-long point of weakness for the Twins.

Lewis returns to a different-looking team that has relied more on its youngsters than ever, fueled by consistent production from Edouard Julien and Matt Wallner. He was thrust right into the action, hitting third and playing third base in his first game since July 1. True to form, the youth movement kicked back into gear, with Lewis’ two-strike RBI knock setting up Wallner’s go-ahead grand slam.

“I'd like more [big spots],” Lewis said. “Let's do more. I think they put me in good spots in the lineup. I looked up and saw [I was hitting] third. I was like, ‘Whoa. I think it might be my first time hitting third in the big leagues.’ It was a pretty special moment.”

Lewis’ return is the first domino to fall in what could end up becoming an increasingly complicated infield puzzle for Baldelli and his staff. Lewis will play the vast majority of his innings at third base, Baldelli said, which is where Jorge Polanco has started since his return from the IL on July 28.

That could push a greater share of Polanco’s innings back to second base, which is where Julien has played after forcing the Twins’ hand into giving him consistent playing time due to his productive bat.

For now, it’s fine, because Julien, Polanco and Lewis can rotate through the DH slot, with Polanco able to play second and third base and Julien moving between second and DH. But once Byron Buxton returns to occupy the DH spot -- though his return isn’t considered imminent -- that could make things very crowded, and that’s to say nothing of Alex Kirilloff’s anticipated return from a right shoulder strain.

“That’s when I think we’re going to end up probably talking about some different things,” Baldelli said. “That could be some guys moving over to first base and getting some work in over there. I’m not ready to start naming who that’s going to be and when, but there are some things that very well could be on the way, though.”

When Lewis made his triumphant return to the Twins on May 29 from a second torn ACL, he immediately made his mark with a three-run homer and ninth-inning, game-tying single at Minute Maid Park against the Astros.

What else could be in store for the catalyst who has shrugged off injury after injury to immediately make an impact at every level? It’s time to find out.

“This is what we live for, right?” Lewis said. “A chance to be in the World Series and in the playoffs. That’s what we are going for. Hopefully, I can help any way possible, that we can lock up that [postseason] spot and then worry about the postseason.”