Byron Buxton held out as long as possible for Minnesota Twins

It is easy to look at the news that Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton is going to be lost for the rest of the season due to knee surgery and shake one’s head.

Injuries and Buxton go together like beer and baseball. There is no denying his talent when he is healthy, but the problem is that getting him on the diamond can be a rare occasion. After all, he has played in just 307 of his team’s 697 games over the past five seasons heading into Saturday. The narrative surrounding his injury woes just will not go away.

Byron Buxton played until Minnesota Twins eliminated

But Buxton tried to tough it out. According to Dan Hayes from The Athletic, Buxton said that he knew he needed surgery on his knee since the Twins were in Boston. As the Twins first road trip began in Boston on April 15, that speaks volumes as to how long he was playing through pain.

If those injuries impacted his production, it was difficult to notice. Buxton posted a 130 OPS+ in his 382 plate appearances this season, hitting 28 homers and 13 doubles while stealing six bases. His batting average may be disappointing, but he has also been battling through injury this year.

Given that context, the 2022 can be viewed as a success for Buxton personally. His 92 appearances are tied for the second most he has made in his time in the majors; his 380 plate appearances trailing only his 2017 campaign. He also made his first All Star Game, something that may be a surprise considering his general success on the diamond.

This season, as disappointing as it may have been, is also a sign of hope. Buxton had been on the diamond more often than usual. It is possible that, with his knee being cleaned out and an offseason of rest, he can appear in more games next season. If that happens, the Twins could be right back in contention.

Byron Buxton held out as long as he could. Now that the Minnesota Twins are eliminated, he will undergo surgery on his right knee.