Twins recall Ryan Kreidler from Triple-A after Royce Lewis injury

Royce Lewis’ left knee sent the Twins into short-term roster triage, and Ryan Kreidler was the answer. Minnesota recalled the 28-year-old utilityman from Triple-A St. Paul on April 11, giving Derek Shelton a multi-position bench piece as the club waits to see how long its everyday third baseman will be out.

Lewis was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 10 after feeling increased pain following a swing on April 9 in Minnesota’s 3-1 win over Detroit. The injury matters beyond one lineup card. Lewis has been one of the franchise’s foundational pieces when healthy, and this latest knee issue is another reminder of how fragile the Twins’ infield plan can become when one of their highest-ceiling bats is sidelined.

Kreidler does not replace Lewis’ power or ceiling. He changes the shape of the roster. The former Detroit Tigers draft pick, a fourth-round selection in 2019, has big-league experience from parts of multiple seasons and entered this recall with 89 major-league games, 188 at-bats, 26 hits and two home runs. His value is in the margins: he can handle corner infield work, move to the outfield if Shelton needs coverage, and stay in the lineup defensively late without forcing the Twins to burn through other reserves.

That flexibility is exactly what Minnesota needs over the next week or two. If Lewis misses only the minimum, Kreidler can soak up scattered starts, protect the bullpen with late-inning defense and give Shelton a right-handed bench option while the club shuffles its lineup around the injury. If Lewis’ timeline stretches, Kreidler becomes even more important as a stopgap while the Twins evaluate whether a more durable infield arrangement is needed.

The move also reshapes St. Paul in a more subtle way. The Saints lose a veteran utility bat, but the vacancy opens at-bats for younger infielders already on the roster, including Orlando Arcia, Kaelen Culpepper and Aaron Sabato. For a Triple-A club built to absorb promotion shocks, that is the next ripple effect.

Minnesota also recalled right-hander Andrew Morris the same day, a sign that the Lewis injury was part of a broader roster response. For now, Kreidler is the practical fix: a depth promotion designed to keep the Twins’ infield flexible until Lewis can return and the lineup can settle again.