The Minnesota Twins have been without their star centerfielder, Byron Buxton, since August 12th. What was supposed to be a short absence has become a multi-week event. A rehab assignment is coming, and Rocco Baldelli will not be playing designated hitter again.
Byron Buxton not nearly ready for the Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins initially stated that Byron Buxton would miss no more than the minimum amount of time required by a trip to the injured list. The centerfielder would have been activated on Friday, August 23rd, against the St. Louis Cardinals. He’s still not active, but it appears he’ll travel with the St. Paul Saints to get back on track.
When Phil Miller questioned if Buxton could serve as designated hitter, the answer was a swift no. Buxton played in similar role for Minnesota last season, but his OPS+ was only 98. Buxton has 3.3 fWAR this season, trailing just Carlos Correa among teammates, and it is mostly due to his defensive efforts.
Buxton is unquestionably the greatest player in the Twins’ lineup this season.
The Minnesota Twins must get it right with Byron Buxton.
The Twins are still chasing the Cleveland Guardians. There should be a sense of urgency about adding wins, but they cannot afford to lose Buxton again. The hip ache is naturally linked to the knee problems that have tormented him for years. Buxton missed significant time in 2021 and 2022 due to hip issues. When he returns in 2024, it must be for the entirety of the season.
Buxton has a 1.063 OPS for Minnesota over the last 46 games, dating back to June 7. In that time period, he has hit nearly as many home runs (13) as doubles (15). Despite a difficult start, Buxton has emerged as one of Baldelli’s top hitters. The Twins will suffer more as long as Buxton and Correa are out of the lineup together.
Leave a Reply