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The Minnesota Twins were dealt a major blow to their surging season after losing two of their most prominent stars, Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton, following a frightening collision during Thursday’s 4-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles.
The incident occurred in the third inning when Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins lofted a fly ball into shallow center field. Correa retreated from his shortstop position while Buxton charged in from center, both attempting to make the play. Despite Buxton appearing to call off Correa at the last second, the two collided forcefully, banging heads in the process.
Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton both exited today’s game after this collision pic.twitter.com/noqmg2vRQY
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 15, 2025
“It’s one of those fly balls that’s kind of right in the middle of both of them,” said acting manager Jayce Tingler, filling in for Rocco Baldelli, who is out with an illness. “And both of them going at it hard, and, you know, pretty good crowd today, with a bunch of people screaming, tough to communicate, and they obviously collided and banged heads.”
Correa exited the game immediately and was replaced by Jonah Bride, while Buxton stayed in for the rest of the inning before Ty France took his place in the fourth. Both players entered the concussion protocol after the collision.
Twins monitoring Byron Buxton after collision
On Friday, the Twins placed Correa on the seven-day concussion injured list, and Buxton remains in protocol with no timetable yet for return. To help plug the roster gaps, Minnesota selected the contract of utility player Ryan Fitzgerald from Triple-A St. Paul. The 30-year-old Fitzgerald, enjoying a standout minor league season with a .328 average and four home runs, joins the major league club for the first time in his career.
“He’s earned this shot,” said one Twins staffer. “He’s a grinder who can help us right now with his bat and versatility.”
Fitzgerald is known for his defensive flexibility, having played every position except pitcher and catcher in the minors. He’ll be counted on as the Twins manage injuries not only to Correa and Buxton, but also to Harrison Bader, who’s banged up, and Michael Tonkin, who was transferred to the 60-day IL due to a rotator cuff strain and recent bicep tendinitis setback.
Correa has been a steady presence in the Twins’ lineup this year, missing only three games—all for scheduled rest. His absence is especially painful given his bounce-back campaign after dealing with plantar fasciitis in 2023.
Despite the injuries, Minnesota enters the weekend riding an 11-game winning streak. The Twins kick off a three-game interleague series against the Brewers on Friday night in Milwaukee, aiming to keep the momentum alive while short-handed.
With no timeline yet for either Correa or Buxton’s return, the Twins’ depth will be tested—but their recent form suggests they’re up for the challenge.
