Twins demote Royce Lewis to Triple-A; place Ryan Jeffers on IL

The Minnesota Twins demoted struggling third baseman Royce Lewis to Triple-A St. Paul on Tuesday, marking the second time in less than a week the club has sent a key hitter to the minors for a reset. The team also placed catcher Ryan Jeffers on the injured list with a fractured left hamate bone.

Lewis, the first overall pick in the 2017 MLB draft, was batting .163 with three home runs and a .539 on-base plus slugging percentage in 31 games this season. His demotion follows a similar move last week involving right fielder Matt Wallner. Manager Derek Shelton said Monday there was no concern about Lewis's effort, noting the player was focused on his work despite his struggles.

The decision comes after a difficult stretch for Lewis following his return from a left knee sprain that placed him on the injured list last month. Since being activated on April 21, he has batted .132 with 25 strikeouts in 68 plate appearances. Before the injury, he had posted an .822 OPS over 12 games.

Jeffers' injury represents a significant loss for the lineup. The catcher was hitting a career-best .295 with seven home runs and a .949 OPS, leading the team in offensive production. He sustained the fracture...