Minnesota Twins come to their senses with Byron Buxton
By David Hill
The Minnesota Twins and Byron Buxton needed one another. The Twins were clearly better with Buxton in the lineup, a roster that is capable of contending for a playoff berth. Buxton, meanwhile, needed the Twins as other teams may not value him as much as they do. Nonetheless, there was an impasse when it came to contract negotiations as the two sides were split by a $20 million gulf.
That gap was bridged on Sunday. The Twins and Buxton have agreed to a long term extension, with the outfielder receiving a seven year deal worth $100 million. The contract also includes a full no-trade clause.
Buxton's deal, as @Ken_Rosenthal said, is for seven years and $100M and, as @feinsand reported, includes a full no-trade clause. The MVP bonuses for Buxton are significant: 1st gets him $8M, 2nd $7M, 3rd $6M, 4th $5M, 5th $4M, 6th-10th $3M. Up to $2.5M/year in PA bonuses, too.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 28, 2021
Minnesota Twins hitch their wagons to Byron Buxton
Buxton has displayed his potential when he has been on the diamond. The former top overall prospect has been a five tool talent for the Twins, his blend of power, speed, and defense matched by few. He has produced a 137 OPS+ over the past three seasons, hitting 42 homers and 56 doubles while stealing 25 bases.
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The problem is that his production has come in just 684 plate appearances in that time. Buxton has just one season where he has appeared in more than 92 games in his seven years in the majors. However, Buxton means a great deal to the Twins’ success – since the start of the 2019 season, they are a .500 team without him in the lineup and are 36 games over .500 when he plays.
Buxton’s extension also impacts the offseason in two ways. First, the center field market is now paper thin. With Starling Marte having signed in New York, and Buxton remaining in Minnesota for the next seven years, there are few options for those teams desperately needing help in the middle of their outfield.
Second, this is a sign that the Twins are not looking to rebuild at all. Ownership had indicated that they were more interested in reloading, even after trading Jose Berrios and Nelson Cruz at the deadline. By locking Buxton in, and handing him that full no-trade clause, they are staying true to their word.
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The Minnesota Twins have locked Byron Buxton in to a seven year extension worth $100 million. It is a deal that both sides desperately needed to get done.