Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Roll with Royce?

Last week I discussed several outfielders who have recently returned to action and their impact on the fantasy landscape. This week the focus is on an infielder who has made the biggest leap in my ROS rankings.

Royce Lewis made his much-anticipated return to the Twins lineup on Tuesday. The Twins’ third baseman had not seen the field since Opening Day. That day was a microcosm of Lewis’ career to this point. Lewis hit a 423-foot home run on his first at-bat of the season against Kansas City ace Cole Ragans. He then singled in his next trip to the plate, which preceded a Carlos Correa double. Lewis pulled up lame running to third base, and the team put him on the Injured List. Lewis ended up sustaining a severely strained quad that kept him out for over two months. Unfortunately, this is not the first injury the potential star has endured over his brief career.

Lewis tore his ACL while working out in the winter of 2021. Because of that injury, he did not debut in the Major Leagues until May of 2022. After playing 12 games at shortstop, Lewis started in center field on May 29. He promptly tore the same ACL while colliding into the fence making a great catch. Lewis would remain out for exactly one calendar year, returning on May 29 of last year. He hit .326 before an oblique strain cost him another 36 games. Upon his return, he hit 11 home runs and drove in 37 in just 32 games. But then a hamstring strain would cut his regular season short. Lewis returned in the playoffs and hit four homers in just six postseason contests before Houston eliminated Minnesota.

Overall, Lewis is hitting .303 with 27 home runs and 65 RBI in just 81 total MLB games including the playoffs. He stole six bases last season, but I do not expect him to contribute to that category anytime soon. Still, there is certainly no denying his talent or his impact on the game when he is on the field. The only issue seems to be whether he can remain healthy. I placed Lewis inside my top-100 overall in this week’s rest-of-season rankings. Fantasy managers should keep in mind that the Twins are going to give him maintenance days. Lewis played in (and homered in) two games upon returning and was promptly given Thursday off. This can be a bit of an annoyance in weekly leagues and is the reason I did not place him even higher. However, the good should outweigh the bad based on Lewis’ production.

My rankings are more or less assuming that Lewis remains relatively healthy going forward. This, of course, is no sure thing given his injury history. His value in fantasy baseball leagues is a huge topic as leagues approach their trading deadlines. I do not hate the idea of a fantasy manager trading Lewis if he or she can maximize value. Ideally, such a move would be to a less competitive team in the standings. Conversely, if you are a manager who is looking to take a risk and make a splash, Lewis could pay off hugely over the next three months. I have seen recent trades where Lewis has been dealt straight up for CJ Abrams, Jazz Chisholm, and Dylan Cease. I consider myself a gambling man, but I don’t even think I would trade any of those three for Lewis at this juncture.

Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings

RANK	PLAYER	TEAM	POS
1	Shohei Ohtani	LAD	DH
2	Bobby Witt Jr.	KC	SS
3	Juan Soto	NYY	OF
4	Aaron Judge	NYY	OF
5	Mookie Betts	LAD	2B/SS/OF
6	Kyle Tucker	HOU	OF
7	Fernando Tatis Jr.	SD	OF
8	Freddie Freeman	LAD	1B
9	Jose Ramirez	CLE	3B
10	Yordan Alvarez	HOU	OF
11	Gunnar Henderson	BAL	SS/3B
12	Julio Rodriguez	SEA	OF
13	Zack Wheeler	PHI	SP
14	Bryce Harper	PHI	1B
15	Elly De La Cruz	CIN	SS/3B
16	Rafael Devers	BOS	3B
17	Matt Olson	ATL	1B
18	Austin Riley	ATL	3B
19	Vladimir Guerrero Jr.	TOR	1B
20	Tarik Skubal	DET	SP
21	Corey Seager	TEX	SS
22	Corbin Burnes	BAL	SP
23	Tyler Glasnow	LAD	SP
24	Marcus Semien	TEX	2B
25	Pete Alonso	NYM	1B
26	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	LAD	SP
27	Pablo Lopez	MIN	SP
28	Michael Harris II	ATL	OF
29	Francisco Lindor	NYM	SS
30	George Kirby	SEA	SP
31	Ozzie Albies	ATL	2B
32	Freddy Peralta	MIL	SP
33	Jose Altuve	HOU	2B
34	Corbin Carroll	ARI	OF
35	CJ Abrams	WSH	SS
36	Joe Ryan	MIN	SP
37	Max Fried	ATL	SP
38	Luis Castillo	SEA	SP
39	Logan Gilbert	SEA	SP
40	Emmanuel Clase	CLE	RP
41	Aaron Nola	PHI	SP
42	Bo Bichette	TOR	SS
43	Kevin Gausman	TOR	SP
44	Dylan Cease	SD	SP
45	Jazz Chisholm Jr.	MIA	OF
46	Josh Naylor	CLE	1B
47	Chris Sale	ATL	SP
48	Marcell Ozuna	ATL	DH
49	Luis Robert Jr.	CHW	OF
50	Adolis Garcia	TEX	OF
51	Ketel Marte	ARI	2B
52	Josh Hader	HOU	RP
53	Kyle Schwarber	PHI	OF
54	Cody Bellinger	CHC	1B/OF
55	Christian Yelich	MIL	OF
56	Framber Valdez	HOU	SP
57	Manny Machado	SD	3B
58	Christian Walker	ARI	1B
59	Cole Ragans	KC	SP
60	Teoscar Hernandez	LAD	OF
61	Anthony Volpe	NYY	SS
62	Sonny Gray	STL	SP
63	Logan Webb	SF	SP
64	William Contreras	MIL	C
65	Andres Gimenez	CLE	2B
66	Oneil Cruz	PIT	SS
67	Bryan Reynolds	PIT	OF
68	Randy Arozarena	TB	OF
69	Adley Rutschman	BAL	C
70	Jarren Duran	BOS	OF
71	Zac Gallen	ARI	SP
72	Camilo Doval	SF	RP
73	Grayson Rodriguez	BAL	SP
74	Shota Imanaga	CHC	SP
75	Paul Goldschmidt	STL	1B
76	Seiya Suzuki	CHC	OF
77	Willy Adames	MIL	SS
78	Nico Hoerner	CHC	2B/SS
79	Ezequiel Tovar	COL	SS
80	Will Smith	LAD	C
81	Evan Phillips	LAD	RP
82	Christopher Morel	CHC	3B/OF
83	Royce Lewis	MIN	3B
84	Spencer Steer	CIN	1B/3B/OF
85	Jeremy Pena	HOU	SS
86	Trea Turner	PHI	SS
87	Justin Verlander	HOU	SP
88	Tanner Bibee	CLE	SP
89	Alec Bohm	PHI	1B/3B
90	Alex Bregman	HOU	3B
91	Raisel Iglesias	ATL	RP
92	Ryan Helsley	STL	RP
93	Mason Miller	OAK	RP
94	J.T. Realmuto	PHI	C
95	Carlos Rodon	NYY	SP
96	Gleyber Torres	NYY	2B
97	Andres Munoz	SEA	RP
98	Lane Thomas	WSH	OF
99	George Springer	TOR	OF
100	Gerrit Cole	NYY	SP
101	Clay Holmes	NYY	RP
102	Jhoan Duran	MIN	RP
103	Luis Arraez	SD	1B/2B
104	Bryson Stott	PHI	2B/SS
105	Nick Castellanos	PHI	OF
106	Taylor Ward	LAA	OF
107	Maikel Garcia	KC	3B
108	Justin Steele	CHC	SP
109	Riley Greene	DET	OF
110	Dansby Swanson	CHC	SS
111	Anthony Santander	BAL	OF
112	Vinnie Pasquantino	KC	1B
113	Paul Skenes	PIT	SP
114	Salvador Perez	KC	C/1B
115	Nolan Arenado	STL	3B
116	Kyle Bradish	BAL	SP
117	Chris Bassitt	TOR	SP
118	Hunter Greene	CIN	SP
119	Edwin Diaz	NYM	RP
120	David Bednar	PIT	RP
121	Jordan Westburg	BAL	2B/3B
122	Ranger Suarez	PHI	SP
123	Bailey Ober	MIN	SP
124	Jose Berrios	TOR	SP
125	Bobby Miller	LAD	SP
126	Rhys Hoskins	MIL	1B
127	Blake Snell	SF	SP
128	Ian Happ	CHC	OF
129	Robert Suarez	SD	RP
130	Zach Eflin	TB	SP
131	Ryan Mountcastle	BAL	1B
132	Ryan McMahon	COL	2B/3B
133	Brandon Nimmo	NYM	OF
134	Jack Flaherty	DET	SP
135	Yandy Diaz	TB	1B
136	Jared Jones	PIT	SP
137	Ha-Seong Kim	SD	2B/SS/3B
138	Starling Marte	NYM	OF
139	Nathan Eovaldi	TEX	SP
140	Steven Kwan	CLE	OF
141	Walker Buehler	LAD	SP
142	Daulton Varsho	TOR	OF
143	Tyler O’Neill	BOS	OF
144	Paul Sewald	ARI	RP
145	Lourdes Gurriel Jr.	ARI	OF
146	Bryce Miller	SEA	SP
147	Jesus Luzardo	MIA	SP
148	Isaac Paredes	TB	1B/3B
149	Alexis Diaz	CIN	RP
150	Mitch Keller	PIT	SP
151	Luis Rengifo	LAA	2B/SS/3B/OF
152	Craig Kimbrel	BAL	RP
153	Jake Burger	MIA	1B/3B
154	Nestor Cortes	NYY	SP
155	Thairo Estrada	SF	2B/SS
156	Jorge Soler	SF	OF
157	Cedric Mullins	BAL	OF
158	Nathaniel Lowe	TEX	1B
159	Matt Chapman	SF	3B
160	Michael King	SD	SP
161	Kenley Jansen	BOS	RP
162	Ke’Bryan Hayes	PIT	3B
163	Garrett Crochet	CHW	SP
164	Nick Pivetta	BOS	SP
165	Mike Trout	LAA	OF
166	Jordan Montgomery	ARI	SP
167	Pete Fairbanks	TB	RP
168	Ryan Pepiot	TB	SP
169	Nick Lodolo	CIN	SP
170	Brandon Pfaadt	ARI	SP
171	Carlos Correa	MIN	SS
172	Yu Darvish	SD	SP
173	Tanner Houck	BOS	SP
174	Jeimer Candelario	CIN	1B/3B
175	Nolan Jones	COL	OF
176	Yusei Kikuchi	TOR	SP
177	Luis Gil	NYY	SP
178	Bryan Woo	SEA	SP
179	Brice Turang	MIL	2B/SS
180	Zach Neto	LAA	SS
181	Kirby Yates	TEX	RP
182	Cristopher Sanchez	PHI	SP
183	Tanner Scott	MIA	RP
184	Aaron Civale	TB	SP
185	Jonathan India	CIN	2B
186	TJ Friedl	CIN	OF
187	Max Scherzer	TEX	SP
188	Christian Encarnacion-Strand	CIN	1B
189	MacKenzie Gore	WSH	SP
190	Giancarlo Stanton	NYY	OF
191	Kyle Finnegan	WSH	RP
192	Brayan Bello	BOS	SP
193	Hunter Brown	HOU	SP
194	Logan O’Hoppe	LAA	C
195	Wyatt Langford	TEX	OF
196	Charlie Morton	ATL	SP
197	Bryan De La Cruz	MIA	OF
198	Josh Lowe	TB	OF
199	Jose Alvarado	PHI	RP
200	Andrew Vaughn	CHW	1B
201	Ceddanne Rafaela	BOS	SS/OF
202	Jackson Chourio	MIL	OF
203	Taj Bradley	TB	SP
204	Byron Buxton	MIN	OF
205	Jordan Romano	TOR	RP
206	Jason Foley	DET	RP
207	Luis Garcia	WSH	2B
208	Carlos Estevez	LAA	RP
209	Brenton Doyle	COL	OF
210	Kutter Crawford	BOS	SP
211	Joe Musgrove	SD	SP
212	Nolan Gorman	STL	2B
213	Max Kepler	MIN	OF
214	Jake Cronenworth	SD	1B/2B
215	Jake Fraley	CIN	OF
216	Yainer Diaz	HOU	C
217	Anthony Rizzo	NYY	1B
218	Josh Bell	MIA	1B
219	Brendan Rodgers	COL	2B
220	Lance Lynn	STL	SP
221	Jo Adell	LAA	OF
222	Cal Raleigh	SEA	C
223	J.D. Martinez	NYM	DH
224	Josh Jung	TEX	3B
225	Marcus Stroman	NYY	SP
226	Seth Lugo	KC	SP
227	Justin Turner	TOR	1B
228	Jackson Merrill	SD	SS/OF
229	Leody Taveras	TEX	OF
230	Zack Gelof	OAK	2B
231	Braxton Garrett	MIA	SP
232	Jon Gray	TEX	SP
233	Brendan Donovan	STL	2B/OF
234	Reynaldo Lopez	ATL	SP
235	Ryan O’Hearn	BAL	1B/OF
236	Merrill Kelly	ARI	SP
237	Brady Singer	KC	SP
238	Chas McCormick	HOU	OF
239	Eloy Jimenez	CHW	DH
240	Kodai Senga	NYM	SP
241	Lars Nootbaar	STL	OF
242	Gabriel Moreno	ARI	C
243	Alex Verdugo	NYY	OF
244	Ryan Jeffers	MIN	C
245	Brandon Marsh	PHI	OF
246	Brent Rooker	OAK	OF
247	Zack Littell	TB	SP
248	Triston Casas	BOS	1B
249	Masataka Yoshida	BOS	OF
250	Yimi Garcia	TOR	RP
251	Evan Carter	TEX	OF
252	Hector Neris	CHC	RP
253	Jarred Kelenic	ATL	OF
254	Devin Williams	MIL	RP
255	Joc Pederson	ARI	OF
256	Max Muncy	LAD	3B
257	James McArthur	KC	RP
258	Erick Fedde	CHW	SP
259	Trevor Megill	MIL	RP
260	Michael Kopech	CHW	RP
261	Sean Manaea	NYM	SP
262	Gavin Williams	CLE	SP
263	Jonah Heim	TEX	C
264	Masyn Winn	STL	SS
265	Colton Cowser	BAL	OF
266	Jordan Hicks	SF	SP
267	Kyle Harrison	SF	SP
268	Luis Severino	NYM	SP
269	Andrew Abbott	CIN	SP
270	Eduardo Rodriguez	ARI	SP
271	MJ Melendez	KC	OF
272	Willson Contreras	STL	C
273	J.P. Crawford	SEA	SS
274	Brandon Lowe	TB	2B
275	Christian Scott	NYM	SP
276	Patrick Sandoval	LAA	SP
277	Griffin Jax	MIN	RP
278	Wilyer Abreu	BOS	OF
279	Kyle Gibson	STL	SP
280	Reid Detmers	LAA	SP
281	Francisco Alvarez	NYM	C
282	Tommy Edman	STL	2B/SS/OF
283	Brandon Drury	LAA	1B/2B
284	Eugenio Suarez	ARI	3B
285	Triston McKenzie	CLE	SP
286	Keibert Ruiz	WSH	C
287	Miles Mikolas	STL	SP
288	Sal Frelick	MIL	OF
289	Charlie Blackmon	COL	OF
290	Andy Pages	LAD	OF
291	Frankie Montas	CIN	SP
292	Davis Schneider	TOR	2B/OF
293	Ty France	SEA	1B
294	Dane Dunning	TEX	SP
295	Sean Murphy	ATL	C
296	Jurickson Profar	SD	OF
297	Noelvi Marte	CIN	3B
298	Willi Castro	MIN	SS/3B/OF
299	Kenta Maeda	DET	SP
300	Tyler Stephenson	CIN	C
301	Ronel Blanco	HOU	SP
302	Michael Busch	CHC	1B/3B
303	Tyler Freeman	CLE	3B/OF
304	Ryan Weathers	MIA	SP
305	Dean Kremer	BAL	SP
306	Joey Ortiz	MIL	2B/3B
307	Jeff McNeil	NYM	2B/OF
308	Alec Burleson	STL	OF
309	Jordan Walker	STL	OF
310	Jose Siri	TB	OF
311	Reese Olson	DET	SP
312	Ben Brown	CHC	SP
313	Jason Adam	TB	RP
314	Orlando Arcia	ATL	SS
315	Will Benson	CIN	OF
316	Tyler Anderson	LAA	SP
317	Jacob deGrom	TEX	SP
318	Reed Garrett	NYM	RP
319	David Robertson	TEX	RP
320	Kris Bryant	COL	1B/OF
321	Michael Wacha	KC	SP
322	Jack Suwinski	PIT	OF
323	Gavin Stone	LAD	SP
324	Graham Ashcraft	CIN	SP
325	Jake Meyers	HOU	OF
326	Luis Campusano	SD	C
327	Vaughn Grissom	BOS	2B/SS
328	Elias Diaz	COL	C
329	Matt Vierling	DET	3B/OF
330	Jameson Taillon	CHC	SP
331	Matt Strahm	PHI	RP
332	Edouard Julien	MIN	2B
333	Alex Kirilloff	MIN	1B/OF
334	Bo Naylor	CLE	C
335	Chris Paddack	MIN	SP
336	David Fry	CLE	C/OF
337	Tim Anderson	MIA	SS
338	Mitch Garver	SEA	UT
339	Danny Jansen	TOR	C
340	DJ LeMahieu	NYY	1B/3B
341	Jose Caballero	TB	2B/SS
342	Kerry Carpenter	DET	OF
343	Tylor Megill	NYM	SP
344	Nolan Schanuel	LAA	1B
345	Edward Cabrera	MIA	SP
346	Spencer Torkelson	DET	1B
347	Adam Duvall	ATL	OF
348	Griffin Canning	LAA	SP
349	JP Sears	OAK	SP
350	Shea Langeliers	OAK	C
351	Spencer Arrighetti	HOU	SP
352	Garrett Mitchell	MIL	OF
353	Mark Leiter Jr	CHC	RP
354	Jacob Young	WSH	OF
355	Andrew Heaney	TEX	SP
356	Michael Lorenzen	TEX	SP
357	Trevor Rogers	MIA	SP
358	Jose Leclerc	TEX	RP
359	Logan Allen	CLE	SP
360	Trevor Larnach	MIN	OF
361	Nick Senzel	WSH	3B/OF
362	Jesus Sanchez	MIA	OF
363	Jeff Hoffman	PHI	RP
364	Jorge Polanco	SEA	2B
365	Jose Quintana	NYM	SP