Twins returns mean it’s back to St. Paul for infielder Edouard Julien

The education of Edouard Julien continues, and with infielder Royce Lewis and utility man Willi Castro returning from injuries Tuesday, it needed to continue in St.

Paul.Julien struggled through a sophomore slump last season and for a brief time this spring appeared to have found the swing that made him something of a sensation at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

But when Lewis and Castro were activated from the injured list on Monday, the Twins optioned Julien back to Class AAA St.

Paul.With capable middle infielders in Lewis, Castro, Carlos Correa, Brooks Lee and Jonah Bride on the active roster, the at-bats werent going to be there for Juilen.The best thing for him, I think, is clearly to play, manager Rocco Baldelli said before the Twins series opener against Baltimore on Tuesday at Target Field.Julien, 26, burst into the consciousness of most Twins fans when he played for Canada in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where he hit .538 with two doubles and two home runs, drew five walks and stole a base in four games.

It wasnt lost on the Twins, either, who made him a pretty big part of the American League Central Division winners that year.A left-handed hitter playing mostly as a second baseman and designated hitter, Julien hit .263 with a .381 on-base percentage and .839 OPS.

In the postseason, he played four games in the division series against Houston and hit .364 (4 for 15) with a home run and four walks.But Julien has struggled the past two seasons, mostly at the plate but also at second.

He hit .199 with a .282 OBP in 94 games last season, drawing 31 fewer walks in 15 fewer major league games and striking out 94 times.

On Monday, he was hitting .198 with 11 walks in 21 games (104 at-bats).I think Eddie just needs to continue to work on both sides of the ball, Baldelli said.

He certainly has the ability to do it at this level, but I think that getting him out there, getting him continual at-bats, is going to be important for him.From April 8-13 this season, Julien hit .381 with a .435 OBP and 1.054 OPS in six games, raising his average to .282 after 14 games.I was so down on myself (in 2024), he told the Pioneer Press at the time.

This year, every time I hit the ball forward and its hit hard, I feel like its a win.But that was happening less and less.

After the brief hot streak, Julien hit .135 with 19 strikeouts and nine walks in 15 games.Im not going to go into the specifics of what I thought of everything that Ed did for the first month of the season, or what exactly I want him to really do better, Baldelli said.

All of thats really between the guys in Triple-A now and us here.I think theres a lot more in Eddie Julien that hes going to bring to the table for us, this year and beyond.

He has a lot of talent.

I think he has a chance to be a really good player in this game, and I think he just needs to keep working.Big returnsIt was Opening Day for Lewis on Tuesday and he was immediately penciled in as the DH.

Lewis injured his hamstring during spring training and didnt play in another game until playing six for the Saints in late April.The excitements back, he said before the game.

The little butterflies, as long as Im leaning in the right way, the right direction, Ill have them working for me instead of against me.

Im excited.Lewis hit .174 with a double and one RBI at St.

Paul but has made a habit of returning from injuries with a big game in the majors.After rehabbing from knee surgery, Lewis hit safely in each of his first three major league games in 2022, and after rehabbing from knee surgery again, he went 2 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs in his first major league game in 2023.

Later, after returning from a hamstring strain for the playoffs, he was 2 for 3 with two homers and all the Twins RBIs in a 3-2, Game 1 victory over Toronto.

Last season, Lewis missed 53 games with a quad strain and returned to go 1 for 3 with a home run in a loss to the Yankees.Thats hard to do, and hes already done it, it feels like, five or six times in his career, Baldelli said.

But you always have high expectations for him; you always expect he is going to come out and do something.

When the lights turn on, he wants to play.BrieflyOutfielder Harrison Bader was a late scratch on Tuesday.

He was pretty ill, Baldelli said.

Weve had a few guys that are sick.

Hes the latest one.Related ArticlesFive weeks into the season, five Twins observationsTwins infielders Royce Lewis, Willi Castro near ready to returnTwins change up catchers playing time, giving Ryan Jeffers more workTwins third baseman Royce Lewis progressing from hamstring strainWhats left to settle? Twins still have multiple roster decisions to make.

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