Rodriguez put up an MVP-worthy performance while playing at Citi Field in Lidom action. Lewis also brought home the hardware after he teamed up with former Twins outfielder Aaron Hicks.

Royce Lewis and Aaron Hicks star on the links

This offseason Major League Baseball put together their first golf tournament. Appropriately named the MLB open, players and alumni affiliated with franchises were paired together representing all 30 teams. While the Minnesota Twins struggled on the field last year, Royce Lewis and Aaron Hicks were champs on the links.

Royce Lewis and Aaron Hicks teamed up to win the first ever MLB Open! pic.twitter.com/aYGcrC54xw

— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) November 19, 2025

Aaron Hicks was the 14th overall pick back in 2008 and played for the franchise during his first three seasons. He spent eight seasons with the New York Yankees and also played for both the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Angels.

Hicks didn’t play last season in the majors, and the 38-year-old may be turning his focus to the links anyways. The former Minnesota Twins outfielder has long wanted to look into a golf career, and his talent has been evident for some time.

Royce Lewis played in a career-high 106 games for the Twins last season. His 83 OPS+ was a career-low, and getting back to his dominant self will be key if Derek Shelton’s team is going to compete in 2026. Clearly Lewis is also a star on the golf course as well.

A healthy offseason is a positive for Lewis, and he’ll be looking to come into Spring Training ready to rock. He suffered a hamstring injury towards the end of Grapefruit League action last year, and it nagged him to the point of aggravation during the season.

Minnesota found a way to keep Byron Buxton healthy last season. They’ll need to do that for Lewis in 2026 as well.

Twins have no interest in bringing Josh Donaldson back.

In both cases, he checked on whether or not the Minnesota Twins would have interest. For Donaldson, the answer was a definitive “no”.

—The Twins badly need a third baseman, but have no interest in re-acquiring Josh Donaldson from the Yankees.

Bob Nightengale – USA Today Sports

Donaldson is recovering from a hamstring injury but his rehab assignment was pushed back after he sliced his thumb while assembling something at home. The Yankees would love for another team to offer ANYTHING in exchange for Donaldson, when he eventually returns to full health. Thankfully, that team won’t be the Twins.

Before his injury, Donaldson hit .125 in 16 at-bats this season. It wasn’t the start he had hoped for, after struggling in his first season with the Yankees, after the Twins traded him in exchange for Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez the offseason before. Their lack of interest makes even more sense given Royce Lewis could be ready to take over at 3rd base in just over one week.

Could Twins want Aaron Hicks back?

The Yankees designated 33-year-old Aaron Hicks for assignment on Saturday. That means they have one week to trade or release him. Finding a trade partner is very unlikely so they’re expected to pay the final $30 million he’s owed before cutting him loose.

—Center fielder Aaron Hicks, who still has 2 ½ years left on his seven-year, $70 million contract, was designated for assignment by the Yankees. 

Considering how well Sonny Gray and Joey Gallo have fared in Minnesota since their departure from New York, maybe the Twins should call and bring Hicks back. 

Bob Nightengale – USA Today Sports

When Hicks reaches free agency, the Twins seem like an obvious landing spot. After all, he was drafted in the 1st round (14th overall) by the Twins and started his major league career in Minnesota, before he was traded to the Yankees following the 2015 season.

On This Date 07/10/2013: with the game tied in the 10th inning and the winning run on first base, Aaron Hicks made this game-saving catch.#Twins @AaronHicks31 @OTDTwinsHistory pic.twitter.com/OHbSM435Hz

— Brad Badini ⚾️ (@celeBRADtion) July 11, 2019

The 2023 Twins could use another established veteran in their outfield rotation, given the injuries they’ve dealt with to this point continue to deal with (Kepler, Gallo, Larnach, Kirilloff, Buxton).

While Nightengale’s Hicks + Twins steam reads as more conjecture than actual reporting, it’s clear Bob has been in contact with sources inside the Minnesota Twins organization recently. It’d be a weird coincidence that he mentions Hicks + Twins in the same article he rules out any chance of a Josh Donaldson reunion.

Also included in the same article are quotes from Rocco Baldelli and Joey Gallo, about Gallo’s 2023 resurgence. Again, it seems weird that Nightengale would throw the Hicks steam out there, without checking on the Twins’ interest, when he’s already talking to his Twins sources about other news nuggets (like Donaldson and Gallo)

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan