It was easy to expect the worst when it came to Byron Buxton on Friday. The Minnesota Twins outfielder had suffered yet another injury, this one coming when he hit a double in the first inning against the Red Sox. Buxton knew it the moment it happened as he slammed the ground in frustration. Fortunately, he was able to walk off under his own power, giving hope that he was not severely injured.
That has turned out to be the case. According to Ken Rosenthal, Buxton does not have any structural damage in his knee and may only need a few days off. To further the good news for the Twins, he may not even need a stint on the Injured List.
Minnesota Twins get great news on Byron Buxton
There is no question what Buxton means to the Twins lineup. He has been one of the game’s most exciting players when he has been able to set foot on the diamond, posting a 140 OPS+ with 45 homers, 59 doubles, and 26 steals in his last 710 plate appearances. Buxton is clearly the type of player the Twins would want to build around.
The problem is that he cannot stay healthy. Those aforementioned 710 plate appearances came since the start of the 2019 season. In fact, he has just one season – 2017 – where he appeared in more than 92 games.
Buxton’s injury history made it easy to assume the worst despite the fact that he was able to leave on his own. Those scans could have easily revealed more extensive damage than expected. However, all he needs is a few days of rest and he should be ready to go once more.
The Minnesota Twins should have Byron Buxton back in a few days. This is better news than they likely could have imagined.