The Minnesota Twins reached the ALDS in 2023. They ultimately were defeated by the Houston Astros, but still enjoyed a positive season overall. Superstar Byron Buxton is one of MLB's best players when healthy… but injuries have unfortunately been a consistent issue for him. The 29-year-old was limited to 85 games in 2023. Buxton, who dealt with a knee injury, recently received surgery on the ailment.
Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey addressed Buxton's timetable following the knee surgery, per Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune.
“Hopefully, this will be a step that gets us in a direction towards making sure it's less of a problem going forward,” Falvey said. “He'll have to manage it. We know that part. But ultimately, hopefully we can manage it a little bit better going forward.”
Falvey added, in regards to the timetable, that Byron Buxton will likely be ready for spring training in 2024.
Byron Buxton's injury concerns
Buxton primarily played DH in 2023 because of injury concerns. Yet, he still appeared in only 85 games. Buxton made his MLB debut in 2015, but has only played more than 100 games once (2017, 140 games played).
He was impressive during that 2017 season, posting a .728 OPS to go along with 16 home runs and 29 stolen bases. Buxton also won a Gold Glove. The Twins are still hopeful that Buxton can play a role in their future. He's an important piece to the puzzle as Minnesota looks to build a contender for years to come.
Although the injuries are not Byron Buxton's fault, they are surely becoming impossible to ignore. The Twins need Buxton on the field. Otherwise, winning will be a challenge down the road. Minnesota is clearly searching for a way to keep him on the field. He's a tremendous defender but the Twins weren't even able to play him in the outfield this past season.
If Buxton can return and avoid injury during the 2024 campaign, it would not be surprising to see him enjoy a huge season. For now, he will focus on getting fully healthy during the offseason.
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