Front Page: Buxton's Season Over, Placed on 60-day Injured List

[John Bonnes]

The Twins have announced that Byron Buxton is being put on the 60-day injured list, and his season is over. Earlier today on MLB Network Radio, Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the Twins are “bracing for the realization this this could be [Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton’s] season ending right now.” Shoulder surgery is being considered, which would make Buxton unavailable for the rest of the regular season or the postseason.

 

Update: This story is being updated as new announcements are made.

We feel the same way Byron.

Buxton has been a linchpin for the Twins defense this year when healthy. Fangraphs.com’ Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR/150) shows him as being about 15 runs better than an average centerfielder over 150 games played. There is also an additional negative cascading affect, as his presence in center allows Max Kepler to play right field, where he is also six runs better in UZR/150 than his most likely replacement, Jake Cave.

 

Twenty-one runs, at a high level, represents two games over a full season, but the perception of the loss is magnified by the concern about the Twins defense around the diamond. Of the Twins seven infielders and outfielders who have played the most at their positions, only Buxton and Kepler are deemed above average by UZR. Plus, Kepler was also pulled out of Sunday’s game with an injury, although an MRI on Monday for an injured scapula came back negative.

 

Buxton’s shoulder injury, along with two other injuries, also have short-circuited a breakthrough season for the 25-year-old. He had posted the highest batting average (.262), on-base percentage (.314) and slugging percentage (.513) of his career. He was also showing a better eye at the plate (19 walks versus 68 strikeouts) and of course was a weapon on the base paths with 19 stolen bases.

 

However, injuries have remained an issue. Last year was torpedoed due to a broken toe suffered from a foul ball in AAA-Rochester. This year he missed 13 games in June with a wrist injury after he was hit by a pitch. He then missed 10 games in July with a concussion after making a diving catch in the outfield. He returned but ran into a wall on August 1st, suffering a left (non-throwing) shoulder subluxation. He has not batted in the majors since.

 

UPDATE:

 

 

UPDATE 2:

 

 

Click here to view the article

[Vanimal46]

He will finish this year with 87 games played, 3.2 bWAR, and 2.7 fWAR. He is a special player. But my god, it's like groundhog's day over and over. Gotta find a way for him to be healthy for 120+ games.

[Alex Schieferdecker]

This is one of those times that I remind myself that the Twins weren't supposed to contend this year, that to some degree we're playing with house money, and the window really opens in the next couple years.

 

Needless to say, it's not a great balm.

[MMMordabito]

That sucks.  Cave and Kepler still unavailable too.   Run for cover, I guess.

 

Looks like a getaway lineup for game one of the Nats series.

[ScrapTheNickname]

I have a theory:

Buxton goes all out (and then some) on defense because he hasn't established himself at the plate.

If he ever does become a superstar hitter (if) he would calm down on the wall-running-into.

(No science was harmed in support of this theory.)

[Vanimal46]

 

Official.

[jkcarew]

He's an example of how WAR can overvalue given extreme/questionable defensive data. His bWAR is within 0.5 of Cruz right now. No. Nevertheless, he COULD be special with relatively modest, but consistent improvement in his offensive game...and he showed real signs of moving in that direction this year.

 

But, for 2020 and beyond, the Twins need to be coming up with 3 legitimate major-league outfielders not named Buxton. Does that mean you part ways? Not necessarily. Does it mean you're forced to show more patience/commitment with Rosario than you would otherwise? Maybe. But one way or the other, as a FO, you wouldn't be doing your job if you simply assumed he'd be your every-day center fielder moving forward. 

[MNT1996]

So the Twins have 3 outfielders out right now (Cave, Buxton, and Kepler) and they choose to bring in an infielder? 

[Twinsoholic]

Kinda miss Jaylin Davis right about now.

 

[the_brute_squad]

Byron Buxton is perilously close to becoming a "could have been". Echoes of John Castino are getting louder.

[Steve71]

Any chance we can revisit that trade with the Mets for Thor?

 

Lovely fielder, developing hitter, may or may not ever pan out....such a shame for the Twins who are having a special season.

[ashbury]

 

"Ensigns Wade, Miller, and LaMarre, I know that none of you were expecting this. I'm sorry. I'm gonna have to ask you to grow up a little sooner than you expected. Warp five."

 

^{_{/ edit - I know, I know, LaMarre is 30, Miller is 27, and even Wade is no spring chicken anymore at 25. Humor me.}}

[Battle ur tail off]

 

This is one of those times that I remind myself that the Twins weren't supposed to contend this year, that to some degree we're playing with house money, and the window really opens in the next couple years.

 

Needless to say, it's not a great balm.

 

Don't bet on it my friend. You have to take the chance when you are hot. I am not saying this team won't be successful again, but this is a special year with this offense. 

 

These injuries, and starting pitching problems are a real bummer. 

Edited September 10, 2019 by Battle ur tail off

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

So the Twins have 3 outfielders out right now (Cave, Buxton, and Kepler) and they choose to bring in an infielder? 

I might have expected Alejandro De Aza.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Kinda miss Jaylin Davis right about now.

Off to a 2-for-12 start with SFG, no XHB, although 0 K's -- so perhaps the BABIP gods will help him out soon!

[LimestoneBaggy]

Woof, reading TD was supposed to take my mind of the crappy day I'm having at work....oh well, back to these stacks of paper with impressive looking fonts and charts....

 

[nicksaviking]

 

 

"Ensigns Wade, Miller, and LaMarre, I know that none of you were expecting this. I'm sorry. I'm gonna have to ask you to grow up a little sooner than you expected. Warp five."

 

^{_{/ edit - I know, I know, LaMarre is 30, Miller is 27, and even Wade is no spring chicken anymore at 25. Humor me.}}

 

Oof, so the red shirts gotta survive in this scenario?

[notoriousgod71]

I would love to see some data on what percent of players go from being injury prone youngsters to ever playing more than a fluke full season.

[rukavina]

Labrum repairs are not trivial...I hope the team gets a bit of clarity on his availability for next season.

 

[USAFChief]

 

This is one of those times that I remind myself that the Twins weren't supposed to contend this year, that to some degree we're playing with house money, and the window really opens in the next couple years.

 

Needless to say, it's not a great balm.

I don't think that's really true. Certainly not in preseason TD threads, nor in plenty of national prognostications.

 

It doesn't matter, of course, but I disagree anyone's "playing with house money." 

[ewen21]

The real numbers on Buxton for me are as follows:

 

46

92

140

28

87

 

Those would be the number of games he's played each season with the Twins.  We can throw away the first one since he was called in June that season, but the last two are like big red flags.  To call to question his style of play and inability to stay on the field because he keeps crashing into things (walls mostly) is no longer anything that can be called "negativity"

 

I wholeheartedly disagree with anyone who feels "he has to play this way".  No he does not have to play the field like he has and YES he needs to absolutely modify his game.  Just as Eddie Rosario needs to learn how to take more professional at bats, Buxton needs to learn how to keep himself on the field.  I think there was a tendency here to act as if he were more than human.  He isn't.  He is made of the same things we all are and this idea that he needs to change nothing because he is so awesome really makes no sense to me.  None.  He provides no value to us now and it is the by-product of him (once again) crashing into a wall.

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2019 by ewen21

[Heezy1323]

A bummer for Buxton and the Twins. I'm sure they were hoping to avoid surgery, but in some cases it becomes clear that it just isn't going to be possible.

 

For those interested, I did an old blog post regarding Wander Javier's shoulder surgery, which I suspect is quite similar to what Buxton is going through. Feel free to post with additional questions and I’ll do what I can.

 

http://twinsdaily.com/blog/1036/entry-11043-wander-javier-injury-qa/

 

 

[mickeymental]

what’s the first thing to do after you buy a sports car? buy a sports car repair shop.

[nokomismod]

That stinking last game in Miami really was a turd for this team.

 

I am hoping for an agressive move. I would like to see a potential offensive difference maker called up to see if he can be like a 20 year Miguel Cabrera with the Marlins.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

I am just glad it is a 60 day list, as opposed to a 60 game list, so he can start the season running on all cylinders... if he is healthy by then.

 

Not that i expect him to have cylinders... I am pretty sure MLB has rules about robotic augmentation.

[operation mindcrime]

Hopefully he comes back better than ever!

[Mike Sixel]

A: Injuries suck. 

 

B: I see they are being super aggressive with the call up. When is this team going to be aggressive? It wasn't at the break, that's for sure. I keep being told "just wait, they'll make a big move when they are serious contenders". Like, if not the trade deadline, and if not now, when?

[dgwills]

Errrgh.... on the plus side, there isn't going to be high expectations in the playoffs this year. Perhaps that will allow the team to play their best baseball.

[Jham]

This is one of those times that I remind myself that the Twins weren't supposed to contend this year, that to some degree we're playing with house money, and the window really opens in the next couple years.

 

Needless to say, it's not a great balm.

Depends who you ask and when. Most thought our window was opening last year. then last year happened. But this year with the contracts coming od the books was pointed to for years as the year. Our rotation for next year is starting to look like the AAAA carousel of old... If you wanted to bet that next year's team will win more games than this year's team, I'd take the under for pretty hard.

[DocBauer]

Kinda miss Jaylin Davis right about now.

 

Agreed as he'd be up around now, maybe even before August ended. But...and this is no slight to Davis...he would only be up because the Twins needed to go to their arguably 6-7-8 OF.

 

I mean, Marwin is the 4th OF. Cave is the 5th. Adrianza and even Arraez can play the OF, but with injuries, it could be argued who is/was the 6th/7th OF between Wade and Davis. And it may not have been either if Raley hadn't hurt his ankle so badly.

 

Just crazy!

 

A little hard not to be despondent right now.