Outlook Royce Lewis
Royce Lewis is tearing the cover off the ball since his return from Triple-A, making him an excellent start this week.
After a brief demotion to Triple-A St. Paul, Royce Lewis returned to the Twins on June 6 and has been absolutely on fire, batting .455 with three home runs over his last seven days. The third-place Twins, currently sitting at 33-40, are utilizing Lewis in a multi-positional role, slotting him in as a primary backup at multiple infield spots to keep his hot bat in the lineup.
While his current post-recall surge is highly encouraging, Lewis's overall 2026 major league line (.211 average across 39 games) is more reflective of his early-season struggles. Our models expect some regression from his blistering recent pace, projecting a .246 average and 12 home runs on the season, but his elite raw power makes him a strong rest-of-season asset.
The Twins hit the road for a six-game stretch, starting with three in Texas before heading to Arizona. Lewis faces a mix of matchups, drawing favorable dates against high-ERA options like Jack Leiter (5.13 ERA) and Ryne Nelson (5.35 ERA), making him a must-play while he is hot. Verdict: Start.
Updated 18 hrs ago
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Outlook Curtis Mead
Curtis Mead Primed to Bust Out of Mini-Slump in Favorable Matchups
Curtis Mead has hit a cold stretch over the last seven days, batting just .118 with a single home run, though his larger 30-day window remains highly productive with six homers and 14 RBIs. He continues to play nearly every day, holding down the starting role at third base for the third-place Nationals (37-35) who are currently riding a two-game winning streak.
While his recent slump is frustrating, Mead's overall 2026 line of 10 home runs and a .342 on-base percentage across 171 at-bats shows his power breakout is legitimate. Our models project him to flash that pop with another 10 homers and 42 RBIs over his next 80 projected at-bats, meaning his current slide is a temporary blip rather than a cause for concern.
The Nationals have a six-game slate this week, starting with a highly favorable home series against Kansas City where Mead will face vulnerable starters Mitch Spence (13.50 ERA) and Luinder Avila (6.19 ERA). While a weekend trip to Tampa Bay brings tougher matchups like Nick Martinez (2.43 ERA), Mead's strong track record against right-handers makes him an excellent lineup option. Weekly Verdict: Start.
Updated 18 hrs ago
