The Minnesota Twins are finally starting to get healthy at the right time and expect an All-Star back in the lineup this weekend. Center fielder Byron Buxton will return from the injured list Friday for Minnesota's series-opener against the Cincinnati Reds, Twins manager Rocco Badelli announced Wednesday night. Utility player Austin Martin was optioned to Triple-A.
Buxton missed a month with right hip inflammation, spending time on the injured list for the second time this season. He missed two weeks in May with a knee issue before hitting the IL again on Aug. 15. There's a chance Buxton fails to play 100 games again, something he hasn’t done since 2017. He's appeared in 90 while the Twins have 16 left in the regular season.
Buxton looked phenomenal as usual on the diamond, putting up All-Star numbers without the recognition. He's hitting .275 with an .862 OPS, 23 doubles and 16 home runs. He has a .999 OPS since the All-Star break and continues to play spectacular defense in center field. Despite not playing the field at all in 2023, he has not committed an error this year.
There's no guarantee that Buxton will be 100% upon his return. He didn’t want to go on another rehab assignment after his last one was cut short, so the Twins are rolling the dice and hoping their All-Star center fielder can play through any pain he has. It's not ideal, but Minnesota doesn’t have many other choices.
Twins trying to get healthy for playoffs
The ailing Twins are trudging along and maintaining their playoff position despite several key injuries. The offense is struggling without Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa but their returns should provide a major boost to the lineup.
After Buxton's latest update, it seemed like Correa would be back first. The Twins shortstop remains sidelined though as Buxton likely rejoins the lineup Friday night. Correa reportedly has a return date in mind but still has a few checkpoints to hit.
The pair of Twins stars, along with outfielders Manuel Margot and Max Kepler, took live batting practice at Target Field Tuesday. Minnesota welcomed Margot back Wednesday after he missed 10 games with a groin strain.
The Twins' pitching staff took a a few injury hits as well throughout the season. None of their long-term injured arms are expected back in 2024, although Chris Paddack has an outside chance to return if the Twins make a deep playoff run.
Minnesota's likeliest scenario is clinching the sixth seed in the American League, although they only trail the Kansas City Royals by 1 1/2 games for the fifth seed and second Wild Card spot. Both positions lead to a road date in the first round.
Maybe Byron Buxton's return will help spark the Twins into a hot stretch of play for the final two weeks of the regular season. He doesn’t have much time to get into a groove at the plate but an expedited approach could be good for the oft-injured Buxton. Keeping his mind on the ball rather than his body will help both Buxton and the Twins succeed.
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