For the first time in 554 days, Byron Buxton played centre field for the Minnesota Twins.

Healthy after two consecutive seasons of knee surgery, the 2022 All-Star made his spring training debut at bat and, more importantly, in the field as the Twins tied the Philadelphia Phillies 3-3 on Tuesday.

Buxton hadn’t played centre field since August 22, 2022, when he injured himself while diving for a ball.

The 2017 Rawlings Platinum Glove winner, awarded to the best overall defender in each league, participated in 85 games for the Twins in 2023, but only as a designated hitter because of an injured right knee.

On Tuesday, he did not make a catch and only fielded two balls fired in his direction, but that was not the objective.