Byron Buxton played through knee soreness for much of the 2022 season, eventually resulting in an arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in late September. In the aftermath of that procedure, the Twins took a caution approach in returning Buxton to action, to the point that the former Gold Glove and Fielding Bible award-winning center fielder has played exclusively as a DH for the entirety of the 2023 season. The strategy hasn’t entirely worked in keeping Buxton healthy, as he missed two weeks in June due to a rib contusion and hasn’t played since August 1 due to a hamstring strain.
Buxton has started taking part in baseball activities as he works his way back from the hamstring problem, and this time off might also contribute to getting Buxton back into the outfield. As Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters (including Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press), the club is at least considering the possibility of giving Buxton some limited time in center field.
“His legs are probably going to be in the best position possible for him to be able to play in the outfield after this period of time,” Baldelli said. “If it’s going to happen this season, it’s going to be after recovering and building himself up. And it’s going to be now. This is going to be his best opportunity.”
The plan is by no means set in stone, since as Buxton put it, “my biggest thing right now is just getting back on the field however that’s possible.” This means no setbacks, and getting through some minor league rehab games before returning to Minnesota’s lineup in any capacity. That said, a minor league rehab assignment would provide an avenue for Buxton to maybe log some actual game action as a center fielder, as a way of re-acclimating himself to the grass after not playing in the outfield for almost a full calendar year.
Buxton is naturally looking forward to the idea of perhaps once again playing his regular position, and giving some Minnesota some extra roster flexibility during the pennant race. Buxton’s fate will be determined by “how the body feels, how the knee feels, how everything all together feels. So for me, it’s putting us in the best situation so when we do get to that spot, get to the playoffs, to make sure that I’m in the lineup.”
Despite a modest 64-60 record, the Twins have started to take command of the lackluster AL Central, holding a five-game lead on the second-place Guardians entering Sunday’s action. While there’s plenty of baseball left to be played, Buxton’s return to the outfield could both help the Twins in the playoffs, and ease their path in clinching the division crown.
Michael A. Taylor has handled most of the center field action with Buxton relegated to DH duty. Taylor is a superb defensive player in his own right, but not much of a hitter, with only a .220/.270/.423 slash line over 324 plate appearances for the Twins this season. If Buxton is able to start in center field once or twice per weeks, the Twins can take Taylor out of the lineup and use the open DH spot for any of several better bats vying for playing time.
How this reshuffled lineup might look is still an open question, as beyond Buxton, the Twins are also waiting to see how Willi Castro, Alex Kirilloff, Nick Gordon, and possibly Jose Miranda return from their own stints on the injured list. A revolving door of injuries has kept Minnesota from fielding its first-choice lineup for basically the entire season, though rookie like Edouard Julien and Matt Wallner have also played well enough to earn regular or semi-regular playing time.
