The Minnesota Twins have a tough decision to make with talented centerfielder Byron Buxton this offseason after a surprising last-place finish in the American League Central. The oft-injured Buxton has all the talent in the world but has endured an injury-riddled career, having played in over 100 games just once in seven seasons. His maddening inability to stay on the field apparently has some members of the Twins organization already sold on trading him, as the team was reportedly testing the trade waters in regards to their speedy outfielder during last week's general manager meetings.
If the Twins ultimately decide to trade Buxton, there are two teams that should immediately emerge as the leading suitors for his services.
Gone are the days of the New York Yankees breaking the bank to bring in multiple free agents, though they will likely be in on Buxton based on a bread crumb left behind by general manager Brian Cashman at the beginning of the offseason.
Brian Cashman said the #Yankees aren't as athletic or contact-oriented as they would like to be. "We'll evaluate what's available and how those pieces may fit."
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) October 19, 2021
Byron Buxton isn't as contact-oriented as the Yankees would like but he is in the conversation as one of the most athletic players in baseball right now. Teammates past and present have touted Buxton's NFL or NBA-like athleticism. The former second-overall pick registered the eighth-fastest sprint speed in baseball this past season and has swiped as many as 29 bases in a single season. That would add another dimension to New York's offense, which has ranked in the bottom-half of the league in stolen bases in each of the last two full seasons.
That's not to mention Buxton's defense, which has earned him both a Gold and Platinum Glove for plays such as this one.
Byron Buxton saves the game for now with a spectacular catch. 😱😱😱#MNTwins pic.twitter.com/vU8xpvb5QO
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) April 21, 2021
That's the kind of athleticism and game-saving defense that every team- especially the Yankees, who just so happen to have a vacancy in center field, should go all-in on.
The Philadelphia Phillies were narrowly edged out for the National League East divisional crown by the World Series champion Atlanta Braves last season. The Phillies played mediocre baseball for much of the year but a 17-11 August record had them in the mix for a playoff spot- and the city of Philadelphia thinking big things.
One of the club's biggest weaknesses, besides an awful bullpen, was a lack of lineup protection around team MVP Bryce Harper. Harper slugged 35 homers with a 1.044 OPS this past season but drew at least 100 walks for just the fourth time in his career while being intentionally walked nearly as many times last year as his first two years with the Phillies combined.
Keeping with the bread crumbs theme, Phillies' president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski provided one in regards to the lineup and Harper. Dombrowski clearly thinks the lack of a true threat in the middle of the Phillies' order was a problem. While there are a bevy of free-agent power hitters available, Dombrowski could instead opt to trade for Buxton, who could be acquired for a much cheaper price given the health risks he comes with.
Buxton ranked among baseball's 15 best hitters in StatCast metrics such as expected batting average, slugging and wOBA, which are primarily based on how hard a player is hitting the ball. Putting it simply, the 2021 season was shaping up to be a career year for Buxton in terms of his power output. Acquiring the speedy outfielder would also give the Phillies another base-stealing threat aside from Harper, as well as an elite centerfielder to replace Odubel Herrera.
Trading for a player like Byron Buxton is certainly risky, but it's a move that could put teams like the Yankees or Phillies over the top in their respective quests for titles.
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