Twins fans received some positive news on the status of Byron Buxton today, as La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports that Buxton is fully recovered from the arthroscopic knee surgery he underwent back in October. Neal adds that team officials are pleased with Buxton’s progress and that the goal for the 29-year-old is for him to return to baseball activities by the end of 2023. It’s a promising update, particularly in tandem with recent comments from president of baseball operations Derek Falvey that indicated the club hopes to return Buxton to center field for the 2024 season.
Buxton, 30 later this month, struggled to stay healthy in 2023 even as the Twins moved him to the DH role on an everyday basis. Despite his typically elite center field defense, Buxton did not take the field at all this past season, appearing as a pinch hitter in five games and as the club’s DH in his other 80 appearances. The limited time on his feet unfortunately did not help Buxton stay productive at the plate, as he slashed just .207/.294/.438 with a 98 wRC+ that clocked in just below league average.
Considerable as Buxton’s struggles were in 2023, however, it’s difficult to overstate how transformative his the slugger’s presence can be when healthy. In addition to being one of the league’s most elite defensive outfielders, Buxton has shown the ability to provide game-changing offensive contributions as well. From 2020-22, he slashed a whopping .257/.317/.576 (144 wRC+) with 60 homers and 9.3 fWAR in 771 trips to the plate. The rub there, of course, is that Buxton was only to take the field for just over a full season’s worth of plate appearances across the shortened 2020 season and two full, 162-game campaigns.
Buxton’s substantial injury history led the Twins to acquire center fielder Michael A. Taylor from the Royals last offseason as a backup plan to Buxton. That decision proved to be a prudent one, as Taylor stepped in as the club’s regular center fielder in Buxton’s stead and performed admirably, pairing a strong glove with 21 home runs in 388 trips to the plate. With Taylor having departed for free agency last month, the Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale suggests that center field is the “biggest question mark” on the club’s roster as things stand, even as Buxton appears set to attempt to reclaim the regular job this spring.
If Buxton were to fall victim to the injury bug again, the Twins would have no other dedicated center fielder on their 40-man roster. That doesn’t mean the club completely lacks internal solutions. Nightengale notes that former fifth-overall pick Austin Martin, who has 65 games of experience in center at the minor league level, figures to focus on the position this spring, though he made just 12 appearances at the position last year and has yet to make his big league debut. In terms of players with major league experience, the club’s options in center field should Buxton be unable to handle full-time duties are limited to utility players Willi Castro and Nick Gordon, neither of whom has appeared at the position in more than 45 games in a season before.
That could make center field a position of need for the Twins even as they hope Buxton is able to return to everyday duties. The club’s plan to cut payroll this offseason makes a pursuit of top center field free agent Cody Bellinger impossible to imagine, though it’s at least plausible to imagine the club either re-signing Taylor or adding a similar piece like Kevin Kiermaier or Harrison Bader, who could easily play the position on a regular basis but wouldn’t necessarily demand everyday playing time. Of course, it’s possible even that sort of signing would cost-prohibitive without a trade of an veteran bat like Christian Vazquez, Jorge Polanco, Max Kepler or Kyle Farmer. In that case, the club could be relegated to lower-tier free agents such as Kevin Pillar or a trade candidate like Trent Grisham or Dylan Carlson.
Nightengale also references the club’s expected pursuits of help in the starting rotation and at first base this offseason, though the rotation comments come with an interesting change of pace. While past reports have indicated the Twins are expected to focus on adding depth to the club’s rotation, Nightengale suggests that adding a “front-line starter” is a goal for the Twins this offseason, suggesting they could look to do so through the trade market. Given the club’s deep positional group and financial incentive to deal from that group, it’s easy to see how a deal for a front-of-the-rotation arm could come together.
That being said, Nightengale cautions that the Twins are far from alone in their goal of trading for a front-end rotation piece this offseason. While each of Corbin Burnes, Dylan Cease, Shane Bieber, and Tyler Glasnow have seen their names floated on the rumor mill so far this offseason even more teams have been floated as potential suitors. The Dodgers, Braves, Cubs, Reds, Padres, Mets, Red Sox, and Cardinals are among the clubs who have been connected to at least one of the aforementioned quarter of available arms, and it’s unclear if the Twins will be willing to outbid that crowded field to replace Sonny Gray at the top of their rotation alongside Pablo Lopez.
Buxton is 30 going on 50.
Buxton playing CF. Gimme a break. Dude is the definition of brittle.
No reason to suspect he won’t be able to play center field 60-80 games next year. Doesn’t change the fact the Twins will need an additional starting caliber center fielder on the roster.
Buxton, talented as he is was not worth the money they paid him and will pay him. Can’t stay on the field. Should be a trade candidate
If he is not worth the money, why would a team trade for him?
Who will they trade him to? This guy sucks… we should trade him! This guy gets injured too much… we should trade him! Good thing the opposing teams don’t watch baseball, otherwise you’d never find a trade partner…
He has a no-trade clause, but go off king
Any chance Buxton can get his musculoskeletal system replaced with something more durable? MLB needs their star players on the field not the injured list.
Elon is working on fixing that by the year 2036…
Buxton has $75 million left on his deal you think they can move him if they paid $40 of it?
Yankees
They could platoon Buxton and Stanton along with someone else who is able to play the other 130 games.
Maybe. If he gives you 4 wins for $35m you break even. Anything more puts you in the black.
The Twins played him in 49 of their first 55 games. Doesn’t matter that was at DH. Then he missed 15 days, then they played him something like 14 of 15 games. Theyre imbeciles.
Might just be a DH he plays half seasons.
He’s purely DH’d last 2 seasons and dude still gets hurt. Him and Rendon have to have some personal bet going on the side.
It’s a team friendly deal. I’m pleased to hear he’s healing well.
That’s the wrong Austin Martin link
Took me to the link of a really nice car
Aston Martin > Austin Martin
Why is it Tyler Glasnow is an ace worth 25 million dollars and Byron Buxton is overpaid and gets criticized?
Kinda weird
True, but it’s kinda weird in the first place to criticize guys who bodies don’t hold up to the rigor of pro ball, which is a huge percentage of the population.
It’s part of the absurd narrative that gets hooked to baseball because of how strong the element of randomness is in the game—to overcompensate, those selling us the game have made durability and performance into ‘character issues,’ as if players can ultimately will themselves into games and will sterling ‘clutch’ and postseason performances.
Imagine a game being announced honestly:
–“Yeah, he really just flung the bat at it. Lucky it dropped.”
–“Yes, he’s gotten a lot of fluke hits this year.”
–“Well, so do most players.”
–“True.”
For sure. I think criticism of injuries is kind of lame altogether. But it’s extra weird when people pick and choose what oft injured players to criticize.
It’s the interwebs and cognitive dissonance runs rampant. For example, I’m in an aquarium forum and seasoned hobbyists sometimes argue over how things should be done. I’ve been fish-keeping since I was a kid. Then you have noobs regurgitating the same bad advice like it’s the gospel. You throw them a curveball question and they go “I’m not sure. It’s what I heard.” and then they get all defensive. There are so many nuances and you can’t just view things in black-and-white. Use some critical-thinking if you can help yourself.
Baseball is hard and most of us would pee ourselves standing in a batter’s box with a 90 mph fastball coming.
A 90-mph fastball isn’t necessary. A sharp-breaking 79-mph curveball that looks like it will you in the head will send most of the “experts” here running to mommy.
It is only natural for fans to express disappointment when the player has high expectations and has shown a high level of performance when not injured. I do feel that a good medical staff and their trainers can really help keep a player from developing more serious injury.
Byron Buxton and the Twins did have control over his injury this past season, though. They knew back in January, 2023 the knee was not recovering properly from the procedure he had the previous fall.
Instead of Buxton going through another procedure and probably missing the first month of the season, the Twins and Buxton made the choice to slow ramp up and hope for the best, and it backfired badly.
Buxton’s injury history is extreme and he was already a polarizing guy due to how much time he’s missed and the long term contract the Twins gave him. The details of how much effort Buxton went through to try and remain on the field has been documented. It’s insane how hard he worked to stay out there. Absolutely nuts! Having his knee drained regularly. Ice baths every day after games. Minimal walking. A special diet focused on anti-inflammatory foods. The Twins’ medical staff’s failure to identify and correct the issues is partially to blame. Buxton’s irrational drive to stay on the field exacerbated it.
@Jack to a point I agree with you. In Buxton’s case tho I’d say he is an extreme and the criticism is warranted. We re not talking fluke injuries like the unfortunate ones that have plagued Haniger’s career. Buxton is still in his 20’s has been purely DHing the last 2 years and many of these issues been pulled hamstrings and stuff.
There is a point where it is reasonable to question how well one is physically preparing themselves for the rigors of being a pro athlete.
@Tigers3233 – But you’re still criticizing an injury… Why is it ok to criticize something that players generally have no control over??
Because they are pro athletes and the attention and Fandom that comes with it allows many to attain generational wealth.
And there is a very valid argument to be made that players who suffer repeated strains and pulls could have more control over the injuries they are suffering. Again these are not freak injuries, these are injuries that cam be often avoided with proper training.
Twins could probably grab Glasnow and Margot as a CF backup for Brooks Lee and a PTBNL, in an historic move where the Rays actually eat some salary.
Rays aren’t eating salary. And the Twins don’t exactly have money to burn either.
Fans of basically every team out there think Glasnow is a great idea. But they don’t seem to understand he’s making too much money.
Yeah, a trade with the Twins would be a long shot. But look, the Cards gave Sonny Gray $75m for 3 years. The $25m for Glas with only a year’s commitment seems at market or below. Plus the Rays need pitching themselves, and they won’t give him up for cheap.
The Rays are going to trade him for the best offer they can get because they don’t want to pay him. They really don’t have the leverage here at all.
Gray is only getting 10 million in 2024. And Gray is better than Glasnow anyways. Why would a guy who has never pitched over 120 innings in a season be worth 25 million?
What do you want in a pitcher? Gray is 33 on a 3-year $75m deal — doesn’t matter what he’s getting paid next year, if you’re on the hook for 3. He and Glasnow have comparable FIP and WHIP. But Gray strikes out less than 9 batters per nine, while Glas strikes out 11.5(!). Glas is the more dominant pitcher, and the financial risk is limited to a year.
And it’s not definitive that the Ray’s would trade him. They have the money to keep him and a need for starting pitching.
I want a guy who shows up when it’s his day to pitch. Gray has averaged 150 innings over the last decade he’s not an innings eater but he’s reliable. Glasnow is anything but reliable. Glasnow makes sense for a team with a giant payroll and depth if and when he gets hurt. That’s the Dodgers not the Twins.
And there is no evidence the Rays have the money to pay him. Their projected payroll is 50% higher than any in their teams history. He’s going to be traded
Buxton’s this generation’s Eric Davis, except without Davis’s half-dozen seasons of 130 games before his limbs exploded.
The fragile man’s fragile man.
Oh man….Eric Davis was the man. Solid 20 of his rookie cards for $400 in college. Worked out well.
There are definite parallels for Eric Davis and Byron Buxton. Same frame, same ridiculous power for that frame. Both incredible defenders and base runners. Both had their seasons cut short due to their bodies not being able to cope with the crazy overpowered strength on a human frame.
I think you need to add, “Eric Davis PLAYED WITH CANCER.” He literally would get chemo in the morning and play baseball at night. It wasn’t just “his body not being able to cope with the crazy overpowered strength on a human frame.” his body was KILLING ITSELF from within.
No, I didn’t need to add that. I’m not even sure what the point of your comment really is. Are you wishing cancer on Buxton so he can prove what a man he is by playing through it? Are you saying Davis didn’t miss games during his prime? Or are you just using the all caps shouting because you remember something truly remarkable about Eric Davis which isn’t relevant to a comparison with Buxton right now?
Davis fought his way through cancer in his mid 30s, well after his frame struggled to keep up with his freakish athleticism.
Twins whole existence is fragile. You look at all this high end turnover and think they can’t even compete in the central. Then u look at the guys who are always injured and think – on paper they still have the most talent in the division
Add in recent cast offs:
Yenier Cano
Spencer Steer
Tyler Wells
Akil Baddoo
Charlie barnes
C.E.S.
Brent Rooker
To a team featuring Pablo Lo, Rolls Royce , Correa , Eddie Julien , Joe Ryan , Kirilloff, Larnach , Polanco, Kepler , Jeffers , Miranda , and Jhoan Duran
And it doesn’t matter that Buxton is on the roster or not… that is a team that can contend with the mighty Rangers in the A.L.
The Twins are just simply good at developing players.
It’s ok big whiffa , you can go to sleep at night wishing ur team could do the same.
I feel like we missed that opportunity unfortunately. He just signed an extension mid-season and took his game to a new level so I’d be shocked 🙁
That’s a common error. It’s probably the prostitutes and liquor that allow him to play as much as he does.
I wonder is there a trade between the jays and twins were the twins get Manoah and the jays get Ed Julien for 2b/3b. I havnt been super open to trading Manoah but i think that framework for a trade is very interesting to me. Jays may have to add a prospect
Seems like Julien’s arm isnt the best so 2b/LF, still 5 years of his bat for 4 years of Manoah is still a good trade for both teams.
Why would the Twins give up a 24 year old with a 130 OPS+ for a pitcher the Jays demoted and who is a huge (literally) horse’s ass? They have internal options superior to Manoah; they are looking for a guy to replace Sonny Gray, not Matt Shoemaker or Dylan Bundy.
What are these internal options that have been All Stars and 3rd in Cy Young voting??
Im not necessarily saying a 1 for 1 trade but i do believe there value is pretty close. I also agree that after his past year there is some worry with Manoah But if the twins want controllable cost effective pitching you have to give up to get. The twins also dont seem like they can go spend 15-20M per season for good pitching let alone what a front line start costs now. If the twins believe in his past performance and think they know what could make him better its a good move. The rumor is he came in ST in not tip top shape and it set him back. He has the bulldog, gammer mentality and swagger you want in your top starter and after thus past season if it really is mostly his conditioning then he will no doubt come back way better.
Manoah hasn’t been that guy in awhile.
“In awhile”, that was 2022….
Again you going to list these internal options that have been 3rd in Cy Young voting and former All Star’s???
Manoah would get Max Kepler, straight up. For Julien, the Blue Jays would need to package Gausman.
Umm they said they’re cutting payroll; means frontliner they’ll trade for is Blackburn, or sign Stroman
Fool’s errand to get excited about the prospect of Buxton being healthy and/or playing center field
I wouldn’t think the Twins would outbid the field for the free agent pitchers listed if they weren’t in on Sonny Gray at 3 years $75 million?
Dudes, they are not trading Buxton. Even if he didn’t have a no trade clause – which he does!!! – they wouldn’t trade him. Uff-da
He does get hurt a lot. He’s still worth the money if he actually plays the field instead of DHing. Even if it’s only half the games. A healthy Buxton is one of the best players in the league
He has purely DH’d for last 2 seasons and still missed 147 games. I’m not seeing his health fare much better if he’s playing the field as well.
The NTC is the key here. If the Twins could get out from under his contract, they’d ditch him in a heartbeat.
Twins need to move on from this guy, just too injury prone
The report the Twins are looking to trade for a high end stater makes sense, it also follows Falvey’s pattern of mortgaging the future and selling off the farm to maintain relevance for a potential playoff run.
Successful teams who try to supplement their rosters sell pitching for position players and/or prospects because pitching prospects and high caliber arms have a premium associated with them.
Unsuccessful teams try to buy short term pitching by selling off prospects and quality position players. <– This is Falvey's methodology.
As Falvey's F.O. success in pitching development has been virtually nil (Bailey Ober, end), the Twins have been in a state of falling farm system since Falvey took over. To obtain a below market value priced top of the rotation arm, the Twins are almost certainly going to need to part with either Brooks Lee or Walker Jenkins, which will firmly plant the Twins' farm in the bottom 5 for 2024.
Um, “considerable as Buxton’s struggles were in 2023” is not proper grammar without “as” before “considerable.’ It’s not optional.
LOL, is this what you do to feel accomplished; like you’ve added value to the world? Go out for a coffee with a friend or something. You’ll feel better about life.
I mean, they’re right. You’re in no position to criticize “adding value to the world” when you’re clapping back at someone who wasn’t being rude by being rude yourself.
The :LEAST the Twins could do is start signing minor league contracts with a Spring Training invite. Resigning Dallas Keuchel on a minor league contract with a Spring Training invite would go a long way in insurance in the event the Twins are unsuccessful in trading away viable players for pitching.