JULY 15: Buxton said Wednesday he expects to be ready for the Twins’ opener, per Hayes.
July 14: Buxton has been diagnosed with a mid-foot sprain, the team announced to reporters at Target Field today (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park). He’s listed as day-to-day for the time being.
July 13, 7:39pm: Buxton’s initial exam didn’t reveal any serious problems, according to manager Rocco Baldelli (via Hayes). They’re cautiously optimistic Buxton will be OK.
6:47pm: Buxton’s having imaging done on a left foot injury, tweets Hayes, who adds that the Twins should have more information on his status Tuesday.
6:38pm: Twins center fielder Byron Buxton was carted off the field Monday after suffering an apparent injury to his left ankle, per Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Buxton departed after possibly getting “a spike caught in the turf,” Hayes writes. Further details aren’t available yet.
Should this turn out to be a major injury, it would be the latest in an unfortunately long line of them for Buxton. The 26-year-old’s health issues helped limit him to 115 of a possible 324 regular-season games from 2018-19. Buxton only took part in 87 games last year, which ended for him when he underwent left shoulder surgery in September. That procedure prevented Buxton from participating in the Twins’ ALDS matchup versus the Yankees.
Thanks in part to injuries, Buxton’s career perhaps hasn’t gone to plan since the Twins drafted him second overall in 2012. But there’s no denying that Buxton has shown immense promise at times. The defensively brilliant speedster was a 3.6-fWAR player in 2017 – the lone season thus far in which he has amassed 100-plus games – and logged 2.7 fWAR in 2019 despite missing almost half the campaign. He slashed a career-best .262/.314/.513 (111 wRC+) with 10 homers and 14 steals over 295 plate appearances then, also chipping in 10 Defensive Runs Saved and a plus-8.7 Ultimate Zone Rating.
To their credit, he Twins did more than stay afloat without Buxton a season ago. And at least a few of the center field options they used in his stead – Max Kepler, Jake Cave and LaMonte Wade Jr. – are still on hand. That said, it would be optimal for the team to have Buxton in the mix. The hope right now is that he’s not dealing with yet another significant problem.
As a twins fan I laughed at the Mets wanting Buxton for Syndegaard. In hindsight that probably woulda been a steal for the twins. Buxton just can’t seem to stay healthy
Is it me or has he been a rookie for about six years
He’s always talked about in terms of “potential” and often still considered to be “developing” – dude’s gonna be 27 years old at the end of the season, should be in the prime of his career.
He is in the prime of his career and his numbers are great when he’s actually playing.
At least they weren’t the Padres thinking they could get Syndergaard for urias as the main piece….,
Are you Mets fans still angry that the Padres weren’t dumb enough to give you some combination of Paddack, Tatis and Gore for a guy with a blown out arm? It’s fine. The Padres aren’t regretting not offering more.
I doubt you could get a 12-pack of Coors Light for him now!
Make em pounders and you got a deal.
Neither can Thor!
Twins have a good lineup. All about the pitching for them.
If Rich Hill returns to form their pitching becomes an asset. Berrios in a short season is gonna great.
Might be a steal for the Mets now.
they need to check that turf out to see if they can prevent that from happening again
Hope the best. Seems to play well when he’s on the field, but gets struck with the injury bug too frequently
Hot take
Bruh shoot me already…
Plays too hard, Brett Lawrie without the Lawrie.
TIN MAN !!
It is official, Royce Lewis is a CF. Buck has more talent than anyone in the league but is cursed.
Even more talented than Mike Trout and Ronald Acuna?
That’s why he’s called Lord Byron…..
I think he means on defense which he’s right about.
you would think he could manage better than league average numbers then
The Royce Lewis that was overmatched by single-A and AA pitching last season?
Cool.
F’n 2020, man…
Maybe the twins swing a deal for Billy Hamilton. wouldn’t cost much and they wouldn’t skip a beat with Hamilton defensively. idk where buxton bats in the lineup but batting hamilton 9th I’m sure the twins have enough offense to make up for Hamilton’s lack of offense.
If I remember correctly he was rotating leadoff and bottom of the order for a while 2 years ago but was pretty much a second leadoff last year..
What the Twins have on hand is better than Hamilton.
What the (every team) have on hand is better than Hamilton.
Yep. Cave, Wade, and Marwin Gonzalez can all rotate in the OF and that’s much better than Billy Hamilton.
I think the Twins would rather take their chances with Cave and Wade. At least those players can manage a slugging percentage greater than .300. Besides, you could always plug Marwin in one of the corner spots and shift Kepler to center if worst comes to worst
I’m a Cleveland fan, but hope he’s not seriously injured.
Loved that hair, man!
Injured again?! That sucks…poor guy. Needs to be bubble-wrapped to stay healthy.
Braves wiuld trade Ender Inciarte for Byron Buxton straight up.
Hope it’s just sprained
Transplanted New Yorker living in Minneapolis.
I’m not a Twins fan. But I get to a dozen, or so, games a year (note: Target Field >>>>> the old Metrodome).
He’s a really exciting player, man. Very talented one, as well.
Hope it’s something minor. MLB is better with players like him, serious.
Hang in there Twins fans. Y’all still have a sweet squad.
Do you say you are a “Transplanted New Yorker living in Minneapolis” on every post?
Lol
“Every” is a pretty big number, @Nebraska. (also… wouldn’t I “post” or “type” that as opposed to “saying” it? man, the internet – uh?)
I think that was actually the third time. It appears you’ve just had the good fortune – if you will – to have read all three.
🙂
Oh. Yeah. Good morning.
Rockies fan here, Buxton could be the best player in MLB, hopefully not a serious injury.
Buxton at 100% is better than Trout, Yelich, etc?
The word ‘could’ matters.
Let’s make a deal. Buxton for Judge. One injury prone player for another. Change of scenery could be great for both players
mlbnyyfan Is this supposed to be a troll/joke comment? If it is it’s not funny. If it’s serious it makes no sense. If the Twins called the Yankees offering Buxton straight up for Judge they would laugh and hang up.
Sadly, he’s probably serious.
Man, Yankee fans have changed *so fecking much* since the Year That Shall Not Be Named.
Well this is a first. Normally the yankees fan would be saying something like “Frazier for Buxton!”
Exciting player, but you can’t build a team around a guy who’s hurt every year!
Until the Twins are finally able to get rid of Buxton, his frequent absences will cost them about as many wins as he provides when healthy.
Somehow, pegging the team’s hopes on this guy, drags down the whole production.
53-25 record in games he was in the starting lineup last year.
He’s electric when he’s on the field.
Still, he’s often a placeholder.
The best defensive CF in baseball is a placeholder?
Good grief……
“No serious problem”, except for the fact he couldn’t walk off the field.
Twins fans overrated this guy. They say he’s the best fielder in baseball and each year they say he will make an offensive impact. Well, the truth is that he can’t hit well and can’t stay on the field to field well. All the guy can really do is steal bases effectively but he rarely gets the chance to do so.
You don’t know what you are talking about. He was killing it before he’s gotten hurt the last 2 years. It’s all about staying on field and has nothing to do with talent level.
IF, he could ever put together a healthy full season, he COULD potentially be an elite player. Unfortunately he has never been able to put together a fully healthy season.
Not a twins fan, but I am friends with one. This is unfortunate that he’s hurt because the twins generally lack a swagger when he’s not present in the lineup. I think that they would have at least kept the alds games close last years had he been healthy.
@Rocket. I’m being serious. Judge is always injured and now has a stiff neck. Why not trade Judge. A players best ability is availability. I know Judge is a fantastic player but I want someone more reliable. Judge in a lineup with Stanton and Sanchez is not good they strikeout way too much. Stanton is unmovable due to contract and Sanchez a good hitting catcher don’t come around often. So why not trade Judge. The Yankees need more consistent contact hitters up and down the lineup. Way too many strikeouts. I would even suggest trading Judge for Lindor to bat leadoff. DJ batting second and Gleyber third could be great.
Until the first time Lindor goes 0-5.
I just can’t understand the thought process behind “Trade Aaron Judge”. I just can’t.
He’s an elite player. This “injury prone” stuff really doesn’t hold water. A fractured wrist due to an HBP? A cracked rib he played through due to an effort play?
Man. So many Yankee fans demand perfect players. They don’t exist. The only time I saw Mike Trout play he went 0-4. Drew a walk but was promptly erased trying to steal second. *He’s* also had some injuries.
So glad you’re not the Yanks GM.
😉
Long time reader first time poster, normally just an NHL penguins fan, but watching the twinkies last year no way outside of better coaching specifically on the base paths would they have had a shot at making that series competitive. They just don’t have enough grit. Mentally weak.
Grit and swagger? Yeah those are two things that don’t really matter much in baseball. On base percentage, power, and power pitching win games. And Judge for Lindor? That’s way lopsided in the Yankees favor. Indians front office would get a good laugh out of that proposal.
They may not matter much but when you’re talking about how close teams are in talent, those little things add up. It’s a mindset thing that carries over to the whole team
I’m well aware the Indians won’t trade Lindor. I was just trying to use that type of player is exactly what the Yankees need. A legitimate lead off hitter and batting DJ second could go a long way to being successful. The Indians will eventually trade Lindor but hopefully they get a lot more than they did for Kluber. They got next to nothing for Kluber who was there ace.
Lindor is a great player but he only has 1 year and 60 games of control currently. If the Twins trade him at the end of the year he will be worth roughly an Alex Verdugo and Jeter Downs type of return.
Lol he’ll still be out for the year somehow.
Buxton is a perennial sicknote.. An eternal champion of the IL. The Twins should just set their team up and forget about him for the time being. He’s just too injury prone to bank on him being available.
They’re also going to always be weak at CF.
If Buxton is around, the Twins can’t truly get behind another starting CF.
I’m typically a guy who gives up on “prospects” who don’t really seem to reach their potential after several years in the majors… and as another commenter pointed out… he will indeed be 27 at the end of this season… however having said that I think that Buxton is actually one of these “potential” guys that really might still have a chance to establish himself as a legitimate star-caliber player if he can stay healthy. He has been “good enough” when he has been healthy enough to play, and while he certainly has had his ups and downshe over the past few years… I do really think he has the skillet and possibly the ability to put it all together sooner rather than later. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him put up a really big see Eason his year and then continue on fro, there as a legitimate top-tier CF. That is of courose if he can really stay healthy. And I’m by no means a twins fan, I’m a red sox fan, so me saying this is completely unbiased and just that I truly feel he has the potential and possibuy the ability to finally put the pieces together this season and then going forward. Best of luck to him.
Might be the best defensive centerfielder in all of baseball. His breakout season is going to happen. For a guy who’s been around for awhile, he still very young with a bright future! When you start pro ball at age 18, 5 years can go by and he’s where many others would start pro baseball. Talented guy!
I’ll be shocked if he even plays 30 games
I wonder what the odds are of him making it out of the first series.