Slumps are something that every major league veteran has endured during their career. Ballplayers don’t love it but as professional athletes they know how to overcome it. Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton is looking to rise to the challenge. A Georgia native, playing in his 10th big league season, Buxton has overcome some injuries but has been a factor in the lineup ever since he became a professional.
Buxton was selected in the first round (2nd overall) by the Twins in the 2012 Major League draft. His ascension to the Majors was steady in winning the Midwest League Most Valuable Player Award in 2013 and despite missing time with a concussion and sprained left wrist in 2014 was named to the Arizona Fall League all prospect team. Making his major league debut on June 14, 2015, he began to show why he was considered one of the top prospects in the game with various milestones including a three-homerun game, an inside the park homer, and receiving a Gold Glove in 2017.
Something that isn’t talked about much is that Buxton was successful in 33 consecutive stolen-base attempts that spanned from 2018 until April 22, 2019. That mark is a Twins team record and his speed is a big reason why he has only been caught stealing 10 times in his big league career and not at all since 2021.
Buxton is a big part of the Twins success and the 30 year-old now sees time in the designated hitter role as well. Defense in the outfield has always been special to him however, “it gives me the opportunity to still go out there and contribute to the team,” he told MLB network in a recent interview.
As a busy major leaguer and family man, Buxton still finds time to contribute to the fans that support him and his team. He’s a previous winner of the Carl R Pohlad award given by the Minnesota Twins for community service. Aside from having a brother in the Navy, Buxton started Buxton’s Battalion, which gives tickets to military members on Friday home games. Several members of the Minnesota national guard also get to play catch pregame with Buxton before certain home games.
On a road trip this past week in Baltimore the autographed ball that he signed for an eight year-old boy was stolen. When he heard about it, he told the thief on Twitter, “Hope to see you one day or meet you at some point! We will make it right. I gotcha!” True to his word another signed baseball, a pair of batting gloves, and a bat were delivered to the youngster the next day.
He doesn’t take this game for granted at all. “To have this many years in the league is a milestone I didn’t think I’d get to in life, it’s something I cherish a lot,” Buxton reflected on his career during an interview with MLB network. His batting average is going to increase, his defense is spectacular, and he rarely grounds into double plays. Buxton still has a while to go as a big leaguer.
Byron Buxton could make a return before the season ends.
The Minnesota Twins star player last appeared in a game on August 1. He went 1-for-4 with a double that game. He was placed on the 10-day injured list a few days after that game due to a right hamstring strain.
The veteran was riding a five-game hitting streak before heading to the IL.
Buxton has been sidelined for over a month, but Twins head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta, has a strong feeling the all-star can make a return. He received a cortisone injection to address inflammation and irritation to the medial plica in his right knee. After receiving that injection, his rehab assignment with Triple-A St. Paul was paused.
“We will make it happen,” Paparesta said in an article from mlb.com regarding Buxton’s return.“We’re going to make it happen in the context of us being able to get him at-bats and get him prepared to play, yes.”
“My impression is for him to be able to play wherever he needs to be able to play for this team.”
Buxton has been dealing with knee injuries the past few seasons and it’s unsure where the inflammation in his right knee came from.
“We do know what happened; we do know what it is,” Paparesta said. “We’ve addressed it with a cortisone injection. Conservative treatment, as you know, for that week or so wasn’t really getting the job done, so we needed to kind of take it to that next level.”
The Twins are in a good position, sitting atop of the American League Central Division. If Buxton can make a return, he can provide value on the offensive end as a designated hitter.
Last season, Buxton was named an all-star for the first time in his career, and he finished the season with a .224 batting average with a career-high 28 home runs. He displayed a lot of power at the plate last season and when he’s healthy, he can be a problem for opposing pitchers.
Through 85 games this season, he’s hitting .207 with 17 home runs and 42 RBI. Injuries have been a common theme for Buxton throughout his career, but he still has made an impact during his time on the field. The latest worry for Minnesota, a franchise that invested over $100M in Big Bux, is the knee and how it will impact him in the future.
“I’d love to tell you I have a crystal ball and can give you that answer, but my impression will be that he’s going to play again this year and he’ll be healthy and play next year, yes,” Paparesta said.
If the Twins do make the postseason, it would be a plus to have Buxton as an option, even if he’s coming off the bench. Buxton has appeared in the postseason twice during his tenure in Minnesota. The last appearance he made was back in 2020.
Michael A. Taylor joined the Minnesota Twins in January for two minor league players. So far, the Twins are benefitting from acquiring the Gold Glove winner.
Taylor has had some productive performances this month for the Twins, who are at the top of the AL Central standings.
With Twins star Byron Buxton on the injured list with a left rib contusion, Taylor has stepped up at the plate in Buxton’s absence.
During the month of June, Taylor is hitting over .300 and from June 8 to June 11, he has hit safely in those four games.
Taylor is a veteran with tons of experience, and he can provide value on the field and at the plate for any team he’s a part of.
The 32-year-old also knows what it’s like being a part of a World Series-winning team as he was a member of the 2019 Washington Nationals team that defeated the Houston Astros to win its first World Series in franchise history.
Defensively, Taylor is one of the best in the game when it comes to tracking balls in the outfield. This season he’s really stepped up on the offensive side and it is certainly paying off. On June 9 against the Toronto Blue Jays, Taylor had one of his best games of the season. Going into the game, the Twins had a five-game losing streak and needed to turn things around.
In the fifth inning, Taylor smacked a two-run homer and then had a sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th to give the Twins a 3-2 lead, which was the go ahead run as the Twins were able to secure the victory.
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) June 10, 2023
He singlehandedly won the game, as he drove in all three runs for Minnesota.
Twins manager was pleased with Taylor’s performance that game and has enjoyed having him on the team this season.
“He’s been so valuable for us,” Baldelli said in an article from mlb.com. “There’s no way around it. But the big swing today — he’s had a few of those. He’s gotten on top of some fastballs, but today he kind of dropped the barrel on that one and shoots it over the fence.”
Last year, Taylor had a productive season with the Kansas City Royals. He appeared in 124 games and hit .254 with nine homers and 43 RBI. It’s going to be a tight race in the AL Central and the Twins are looking to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2020.
There’s no question that Taylor can play a key part for the Twins this season and he will continue to go out there each and every day and leave it all out on the field for his team.
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