Twins outfielder Byron Buxton has dealt with many injuries throughout his career, which has led the Twins to use him exclusively as a designated hitter so far this season. However, it seems that was not simply a choice they made about protecting him from future injuries. “From the beginning of the year, he has not been physically able to play in the outfield,” manager Rocco Baldelli tells Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. “If he was, he would be out there. If we even thought that it was possible that he could play in the outfield right now, he would be out there.”
Buxton underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in September of last year and seemingly recuperated enough to play but not enough that the Twins want him out on the grass. “Nothing has really gone up or down on that scale since the beginning of the year,” Baldelli said. “It hasn’t gotten closer. It hasn’t gotten further away. It’s basically in a similar spot. He is basically in a similar spot as he was in the beginning.”
Of course, the Twins could have opted to have Buxton start the season on the injured list and then activated him once he was 100% healthy, but it seems they preferred to have his bat in the lineup even without any defensive contributions and with diminished capabilities overall. Buxton’s sprint speed of 29.3 feet per second this year is roughly in line with last year’s 29.1 figure, though he has been steadily declining since hitting 30.9 in his rookie season. That seems to line up with the assessment that his knee hasn’t gotten fully healthy.
It might also be impacting him at the plate, as he’s hitting .209/.313/.428 on the year. That translates to a 106 wRC+, indicating he’s still been above average but below his own typical output. He hit .258/.316/.558 from 2019 to 2022 for a 136 wRC+. His .259 batting average on balls in play might point to some bad luck but his hard hit rate and average exit velocity are also down from last year. He’s also been struggling more of late, slashing just .149/.273/.266 since May 5. All hitters go through slumps, of course, but whether or not the knee is hampering him will be an interesting situation for the Twins to monitor as the season progresses.
Some more notes from the AL Central…
- The White Sox put left-hander Garrett Crochet on the injured list yesterday, retroactive to June 17, due to left shoulder inflammation. Right-hander Jimmy Lambert was reinstated from his own IL stint in a corresponding move. Crochet was drafted in 2020 and was quickly launched into the majors just a few months later. He’s since been able to post quality results out of the bullpen with a 2.69 ERA thus far, though injuries have also been an issue. He went on the IL in 2021 due to a back strain and then had his 2022 wiped out by Tommy John surgery. He returned this year but is now back on the IL after 10 outings. There hasn’t been anything to suggest this current injury is especially concerning but it’s yet another roadblock to him building up his workload. He has expressed a desire to return to starting pitching someday but has only been able to log 70 1/3 major league innings in his career thus far.
- The Tigers have faced a number of challenges in their rotation this year, which each of Eduardo Rodriguez, Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning, Spencer Turnbull, Alex Faedo and Beau Brieske currently on the injured list. Given all of those absences, it’s hardly surprising that the club’s starters have a collective 4.91 ERA that places them 25th out of the 30 clubs in the league. Things could be on the verge of improving, however, with most of that group nearing returns. Chris McCosky of The Detroit News takes a look at the different hurlers and their rehabs, with Skubal and Manning seemingly the closest since they are already on rehab assignments at the Triple-A level. The Tigers are just 32-41 coming into today’s action but are only 3.5 games off the lead in the weak division. Getting some young starters back in the mix would surely help them stay afloat in that wide open competition. Manning had a 3.43 ERA last year but has been limited to just two outings so far this year due to a fractured fifth metatarsal in his right foot. Skubal had a 3.52 ERA last year but has been out of action since undergoing flexor tendon surgery in August.
Injuries in the White Sox have coincided since Herm Schneider retired. At this point, I’m convinced that somebody must have cursed this team.
Tigers have a pretty good rotation sitting on the shelf. If all these guys were healthy they may be in first place in the AL Central.
As for the Twins; Michael Taylor and Joey Gallo are solid defensively in CF. If Buxton is truly unable to play the field his bat is way more important than his glove at this point anyway
Of course, if the Tigers can somehow get all (or most) of their starters healthy, they’ll have probably trade one or two of them at the deadline. That wouldn’t bother me, if they could get a decent slugger in return.
The Tigers will have to prove them healthy before they can actually get value for them, but that allows them to look at offers for Lorenzen, Boyd, Cisnero, and Shreve at the deadline. The others should wait until the offseason, so they will have a higher trade value. I am unsure what to do with Eduardo. He fits the need for a front of the rotation veteran but he has the opt out. His contract is reasonable, and with his injuries and time away this year and last, he could possibly opt in. I don’t want to see him walk for nothing, so I hope Harris is staying on top of the situation.
Its a tough one with Rodriguez. On one hand he could probably easily beat the $49 million he has remaining on his contract with the Tigers after this season, on the other hand Detroit offers the potential to contend without being in a media pressure cooker environment which has probably benefited him greatly the past two years. I guess we’ll find out this winter
Rodriguez will surely opt out at the end of this season. The Tigers might as well trade him. Another possibility is to offer him an extension, and trade him if they can’t come to terms.
As a DH though his bat kinda sucks.
Second year in a row where Tigers’ rotation has been decimated by injuries. Have to wonder where they’d be otherwise. Btw, haven’t seen an update on Austin Meadows in quite a while. Anyone know if he’s even rehabbing?
Third year in a row. In 2021, they lost Tehran after one start and Boyd and Turnbull went down with season ending surgeries.
Crochet….another one of these poor kids who’s arm is just too nasty for his body to handle.
This is almost too good to be true. The Tigers could actually have too many starting pitchers by mid July. That’s not a bad problem to have.
Brieske has been working out of the bullpen. Which helps the big club as well
Absolutely, and Brieske could replace Cisnero if and when Cisnero gets traded at the deadline.
Wouldn’t bother me at all, but I’d prefer to see Faedo in the pen.
I wouldn’t be shocked if Faedo ultimately ended up in the bullpen.
My Royals are so bad they don’t even get mentioned in AL Central updates.
I saw earlier this week that the Royals are 0-15 through Jordan Lyles’ first 15 starts of the season which is a major league record, so there’s that. Lyles will look to extend that streak later this week – stay tuned.
Being on IL that much would make anybody crotchety, so lets cut Crotchet some slack here, which, lets face it, is vastly preferable to cutting him some cheese.
Someone needs to do a study to find out when an MLB division was as weak as the AL Central is this year.
I can’t recall a division this bad in recent memory.
Last one I remember was the 2006 National League Central. The Cardinals won the NLC with only 83 wins. Apparently the worst record to ever make the playoffs was the San Diego Padres in 2005 with an 82-80 record. I’m pretty sure if this continues, this could be the first time in baseball history a below .500 team made it into the playoffs (not counting the super-expanded 2020 playoffs).
NL central isn’t a whole lot better.
It’s not, and like 85 wins could very well take the NLC by a fair margin. But every team in a division being under .500 in late-June has to be unheard of.
Riley Greene should be back in a couple of weeks, by far the Tigers best hitter. Skubal looked really good before his injury last year.
I think Greene might need another three or four more weeks before he comes back.
I heard them talking on the Ticket (radio) that this will be the off season for the Tigers to add some bats in FA. Other than Chapman (who fits the need at 3B), I just don’t see the type of bat you’d want to drop big dollars on out there, this off season. We dont need another Baez. Bellinger will probably want more years than I would be willing to give, and which is real, this year or the previous 2?
Buxton Crochet, Hidden Tigers
The good news for the Tigers is when the injured players make it back, they’ve only got to be better than a 4.91 ERA to be of additional value.
I don’t see how the Tigers trade away anyone good, they’re going to be in contention all season. I think they could be buyers. They need a 3B, Maton just isn’t the guy they need him to be.
Maton, Ibanez, Nevin, and even Vierling, have looked bad defensively at 3B. Keith seems to be getting time at 2B, and Henry-Malloy looks like Miggy’s replacement at DH. That is why Chapman would be a good fit.
Don’t forget about Jace Jung as he’s the 2nd baseman of the future, which leaves Keith at 3rd. Add Wyatt Langford, who the Tigers will draft 3rd overall in July, to the mix and by 2025 this team may finally be something.
I’d be surprised if Malloy or Keith didn’t end up as the regular third baseman next year. Wenceel Perez and Andre Lipcius could get some time at second and/or as utility infielders.
Maton should be in Toledo! How they can continue to run a .150 hitter out there every day is beyond me. If he has any value at all he’s going to be so discouraged from his hitting that he’ll never get his head right. Do the kid a favor and let him work his problems out in minor league
Buxton is not even hitting.210.
He Can’t play in the field.
He is gumming up the flexibility of the use of the DH.
With leg/knee/lower body issues…
What in the hell is he thinking/the manager thinking in letting him attempt stealing bases?
He has ZERO value on the active roster.
DL him onto the 60 day list.
Eat the sunken 2023 contract cost.
Let him rest, recover and rehab.
Try again in 2024.
Crochet looks like another first round disaster in the Carson Fulmer, Zack Collins mold
You know, I really wonder how differently the 2020 draft would have played out if the whole college and high school seasons were played, and scouts and executives got a good look at the prospects available. You see so often how many times opinions can drastically change from March until draft time. So many times, you see guys improve a weakness in their game and improve their draft stock, or a weakness gets exposed and they fall down the draft boards. That really didn’t happen in 2020. It’s all “what-if” conjecture, but just some food for thought.
Buxton’s contract is looking like another Mauer disaster.
Buxton’s contract never did make sense-he just can’t stay healthy, and never could.
Trade the tradables before they get injured…..
This happens every year. They win a few, the KoolAid starts flowing and reality magically disappears.
Maybe we could get lucky. Stop trying to get lucky by counting on the other guy stinking….geez…..hire the Superfife.
Put some Schnapps in the D KoolAid.
Hinch to SD for Snelling or Lesko……maybe both if we throw in some pitching.( Preller likley to gone before they sniff the mlb)…. Detroit will have to make.an overwhelming offer to get any bats……package them altogether……
See now, if we trade Hinch, he can come back later. Meanwhile, Miggie could be the interm manager……
He could bat himself leadoff and play third base….
See how many umps he can get to eject him.
It would be fun.