Buxton trending – Byron Buxton is sitting out a second straight game with a hip injury, but Twins manager Derek Shelton says he’s trending in the right direction ahead of Minnesota’s home series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
When the Minnesota Twins take the field at home against the Milwaukee Brewers this weekend. one name will be missing from their lineup card: Byron Buxton.. The slugger is out for his second consecutive game with a hip injury. a nagging issue that has already tested the Twins’ offense as the season drags on.
Minnesota enters the stretch at 20-24, still positioned within reach in the American League Central. The club sits 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians and just 1 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot—meaning every absence in the middle of the lineup carries extra weight.
Twins manager Derek Shelton, though, offered an encouraging read on Buxton’s status. Shelton told the media that Buxton is trending in the right direction and does not anticipate the hip problem will keep him out for much longer.
That matters for a team that leans heavily on its power threat.. Buxton is the Twins’ main source of power and one of the American League’s leading home run hitters.. Through the season. he’s slashing .260/.319/.580 with 15 home runs and 23 runs batted in—and he’s the only Minnesota hitter in double figures in homers.
Behind Buxton, the numbers show how steep the drop-off can be. Ryan Jeffers is second on the team with six home runs, while Brooks Lee has five. For a Twins lineup trying to climb back into contention, that kind of gap turns a “day off” into more than just a routine rest.
Buxton, 32, has dealt with both serious and nagging injuries at various points in his 12 seasons with the franchise. The current hip issue is described as more of the nagging variety than something that has fully derailed him at this stage.
Last season. when he stayed healthy through a full slate. Buxton delivered the kind of production Minnesota has missed at other times.. He blasted a career-high 35 home runs and drove in 83 runs across 126 games.. Even with that peak, his career total games played with the Twins has never exceeded 140 in a season.
With Buxton currently sidelined again. the weekend series against Milwaukee becomes another test of whether the Twins can keep pace while they wait for their biggest swing to return.. Shelton’s optimism suggests Minnesota won’t have to live without that power for long. but until Buxton’s hip is cleared. his spot remains one the lineup can’t fully replace.
Minnesota Twins Byron Buxton hip injury Derek Shelton Milwaukee Brewers MLB standings American League Central Wild Card