Byron Buxton has returned to the Minnesota Twins lineup, at least temporarily. If he is chosen to play centre field again on Sunday, it will be his second consecutive day there. But, at this point, Twins supporters are simply waiting for his knee to act up again and drive him back to the injured list.
It’s great to have Buck back. He is a key member of Minnesota’s locker room leadership, and the team benefits from his ability to play outfield and stand in the batter’s box.
Byron Buxton understands he’s struggling with a persistent knee problem.
However, Byron Buxton made it apparent that his recent setback confirmed that he will have to deal with a knee that is failing him on a continuous basis. According to Bobby Nightengale (Star Tribune), Buck ‘acknowledges his knee soreness is something he must manage compared to playing entirely pain-free’.
“It’s back to the stage where I believe I can go again. Just trial and error; we don’t know when or if it will happen again. everything’s just one of those things where you have to put everything on the back burner, trust what we’re doing, and go play.”
“I don’t want to have to do anything other than what I’m doing. I understand that everything happened because of what I was doing, but I went through spring training, followed by the month before [the injury]. I’m just trying to figure out better ways to manage it.
Optimists had long believed that Buxton and his colleagues would discover a technique that would permanently fix his persistent knee difficulties. Remember, it’s 2024. You don’t hear about many baseball players whose careers are being cut short due to knee issues anymore.
Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case. Buck started spring training with a smile on his face and ambitions to steal 30 bases, and I, too, sensed a flicker of hope deep within my baseball belly. Was it feasible that modern medicine had caught up to Byron Buxton’s damaged knees?
Those hopes were dashed about 30 regular season games (not 30 stolen bases) later, when Buxton came up hobbling after an unsuccessful stolen base attempt. He quickly left the game and was placed on the short-term injured list a few days later, following an MRI.
Byron Buxton’s future with the Minnesota Twins remains uncertain. But it’s not at DH.
Now, when Buck ramps back up, optimists must move their Buxton emphasis entirely to a more macro perspective. On the total number of games Byron is able to play per season. Remember, his deal is completely guaranteed ($15 million per year) through 2028.
Minnesota can’t move Buxton without his permission until 2027, and even then, the list of teams is just five deep. That is why it can no longer be a question of whether Byron can break free from injury hell. It’s clear that isn’t going to happen.
Another item that won’t happen. DH. The 30-year-old Baxley (GA) native stated unequivocally that becoming a designated hitter is no longer part of his agenda. Ever.
“I’m not going to keep harping on DHing, but it’s practically inscribed in my skull. That’s not something I want to do. That was a mental toll. Anything to stay away from that. I know I’ll have to do it at some point, but knowing you can easily go out to centre gives you some peace of mind.”
Take each year as it comes, and remember that Byron will miss 50 or more games due to his deteriorating knee. However, the closer we get him to 162 games, the better the Minnesota Twins will do. Then, make sure he’s as healthy as possible by September, preferably October.
Because one thing is certain: Byron Buxton will be in and out of the lineup, dealing with knee injuries for the rest of his life. How well he performs in the coming years will determine how the baseball world remembers his professional career.
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