Byron Buxton Fully Recovered from Offseason Surgery

If you were worried about Byron Buxton’s offseason surgery hampering his ability to be ready for Minnesota Twins spring training come February, you can stop gnawing on your fingernails.

Byron Buxton fully recovered from offseason surgery

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Byron Buxton, according to president of baseball ops, Derek Falvey, Buck has fully recovered from the microscopic knee procedure he underwent when the season ended. He and team trainers are now focused on rehabbing his knee and preparing his body to play center field for game 1 of the 2024 regular season.

“Dr. Camp said [Byron Buxton] is fully recovered from the surgery. There are no lingering effects. He looked good. I thought that was a really good sign.”

Derek Falvey (via Star Tribune)

It’s possible Buxton could somehow figure out how to be a really good hitter, even without playing in the field. But, that’s unlikely to happen. At the plate, Byron has never been a thinker. He’s a see ball, hit ball type guy.

Can Buck return to being Minnesota Twins regular center fielder?

Buck proved that throughout the beginning of his MLB career, when he struggled with his stance, his leg kick, whether or not to chew gum… etc. If he can’t go out and make plays in the field, instead of moping in the dugout or clubhouse between at-bats, he’s likely to struggle offensively.

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But, Byron Buxton hasn’t played in the outfield of an MLB game since August 22, 2022, and, in 2023, he struggled to stay off the injured list as a designated hitter. The fan in me wants to believe in Byron… but the realist in me struggles to see a lot of Major League Baseball in his future.

I pray for the day we see Buck back as an offensive juggernaut who’s regularly slotted into the Twins lineup as the team’s center fielder… but I can’t allow my hopes to get up until I see it actually happen for a sustained amount of time.