Byron Buxton Returns to Minnesota Twins Lineup

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Byron Buxton - Minnesota Twins
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Minnesota Twins are trying to get their third-straight victory on Tuesday, while simultaneously winning their series at home against the Houston Astros.

Unfortunately, most of the day has been packed with bad news. Royce Lewis demoted to Triple-A, after batting .163 with a .539 OPS through his first 31 games played this season, but the entire 26-man roster got a shake-up.

Reliever Justin Topa was Designated for Assignment, after he was the only MN Twins reliever to surrender runs Monday against the Astros. The three earned runs he gave up pushed his ERA to 8.05, the four hits and one walk wound his WHIP to a ghastly 2.000.

Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis - Minnesota Twins
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But the most devastating news today was in regard to the injury Ryan Jeffers — .295 BA, .949 OPS — suffered during last night’s loss, when he busted his bat in the 8th inning on a first-pitch cutter that didn’t just break his bat, but his hand too.

Originally diagnosed as a wrist strain, an MRI later revealed the injury as a broken hamate bone, which will sideline the MN Twins’ starting catcher for six to eight weeks.

Minnesota Twins get Byron Buxton back tonight

Thankfully, there was some positive injury news Tuesday that will help dull the pain brought on by the rest of a busy news day. Minnesota Twins superstar Byron Buxton — who has missed the last five games with a sore hip — is back in the starting lineup tonight at Target Field.

Buxton, who last played on May 13, will not take his usual spot in center field. Instead, the MN Twins will ease him back onto the field by starting him as the designated hitter on Tuesday.

We’ll see how many games he is kept out of the field. We’ll know he is back to full-strength when he is patrolling the Twins’ outfield again. How big is it to get Buck’s bat back? Well, he is hitting .260 with a .899 OPS and 145 OPS+. He’s already smacked 15 homers, driven in 23 runs and scored 33 more.

In the field, the 2x All-Star has been his normal Gold Glove caliber self. I mentioned earlier how, prior to injury, Ryan Jeffers’ was in the midst of a career season. Well, even Jeffers’ career-best start was not enough to lift his bWAR (1.6) above Byron Buxton’s (1.7).

For some bitter-sweet context, no other Minnesota Twins position player has a bWAR above 1.0.

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