The importance of Byron Buxton to the Minnesota Twins
By David Hill
It is difficult to say that one player can make a major difference in Major League Baseball. It may well be the most team oriented sport in regards to wins and losses, where every aspect of the roster needs to produce in order to secure victory. However, in the case of the Minnesota Twins, there is one player whose presence certainly makes a drastic difference on their fortunes.
Byron Buxton is clearly the Twins’ best player and a key part of their success. As it runs out, he may mean more to their success than even the Twins had realized.
Since the beginning of 2019, the #MNTwins have played at a 99-win pace when Byron Buxton is in their starting lineup and an 81-win pace when he isn't.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) September 25, 2021
100-64 record with Buxton.
106-106 record without Buxton.
During that time, he's slugged .557 and rated +27 runs defensively.
Byron Buxton makes difference on Minnesota Twins
One can understand why he would make such a major difference based on his production. Since the start of the 2019 season, he has posted a .271/.3314/.557 batting line with 37 homers and 51 doubles while stealing 22 bases over his 649 plate appearances. His excellence has also carried over on the defensive side as he has saved 26 runs in center over that same time frame.
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The problem is that Buxton has not been able to stay on the diamond consistently for the Twins. He has appeared in just 197 games since the beginning of 2019, not nearly enough action to make that much of a positive impact in the standings.
That is clear this season. Buxton has appeared in just 53 games in 2021 as his ongoing injury woes have cropped up yet again. While the Twins have numerous reasons as to why they have a disappointing 69-85 record on the season, his absence certainly has not helped.
The Twins certainly recognize his importance to their roster. They have attempted to lock him up to a long term extension, but attempting to determine his worth is difficult. Buxton is clearly one of the best players in the game when healthy, but that is not something the Twins can count on. If they could, he would easily be one of the more valuable players in the league, not just to their chances on any given night.
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Byron Buxton has been an important piece for the Minnesota Twins during his career. His importance is evident in their record.