The Minnesota Twins announced Thursday that they have reinstated center fielder Byron Buxton from the 10-day injured list. Buxton was absent for the last 28 games with right hip inflammation but was taking live batting practice at Target Field this week. Before landing on the IL, Buxton, 30, played in 90 games for the Twins this season.
To make room on the 28-man roster, Minnesota optioned utility player Austin Martin to Triple-A St. Paul following Wednesday’s night games against the Los Angeles Angels. Martin, 25, played in 89 games over three different stints with the Twins, hitting .252 with one home run and 16 RBI.
We have made the following roster move: pic.twitter.com/faIpsWJ1K0
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) September 12, 2024
Twins Reinstate Byron Buxton from Injured List
Trips to the IL are somewhat of a pattern for Buxton. A former All-Star and Platinum Glove winner, Buxton has been on the IL twice this season. He missed 23 games in May with right knee inflammation. He’s hitting .275/.334/.528 with 15 home runs and 49 RBI, including 82 games (75 starts) in centerfield, his most since 2019 (86 games. 76 starts). Leading up to his IL stint, Buxton hit .331/.394/.709 and a 1.103 OPS. Buxton played in Triple-A games between September 2-4 but hasn’t taken another minor league appearance since.
Despite losing one-third of their starting lineup and multiple starting pitchers, the Twins are still strong favorites to make the postseason. However, they are not likely to win the American League Central. The Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals, and Minnesota are in line to reach the Wild Card, and the Detroit Tigers aren’t far behind. The Twins will host the Cincinnati Reds this weekend before going to Cleveland for a crucial four-game series.
Minnesota is facing a challenging situation as key players such as Carlos Correa, Max Kepler, Joe Ryan, and Chris Paddack are all sidelined with injuries at the same time. It’s a crucial time for the team to avoid a performance downturn.
Main Photo: © Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images
