Byron Buxton Working Behind the Scenes for Center Field Return

[Cody Christie]

Ideally, Byron Buxton should be manning centerfield on a daily basis, tracking down balls in the gap, and hitting monster home runs. That scenario has yet to play out in 2023, but the Twins might have a different plan for Buxton in the second half.

Image courtesy of Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Many fans have called for Byron Buxton to return to center field to help an offense that has struggled mightily for most of the season. Michael A. Taylor has provided value to the Twins, but Buxton has been an All-Star caliber player in center. There are a lot of layers to the Buxton situation, and the team might have an updated plan for the season's second half. 

Initial Plan
The Twins announced that Byron Buxton would begin the season as designated hitter near the end of March. Multiple factors influenced this decision, including his off-season knee surgery and the cold weather in the season's early months. No clear timetable was given for his return to the outfield, but many hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

"If he could play 162 games in center field, we would have him in center field for 162 games," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "Almost no player does that, or no player does that in the entire game. So what's going to help us get the absolute most out of Buck and help us win the most games? I think it's going to be him being in the line-up as much as possible."

Buxton has been in the line-up regularly by appearing in over 80% of the team's first-half games. In 73 games, he hit .208/.300/.468 (.736) with 12 doubles, one triple, 15 home runs, and a 101 OPS+. It's his lowest OPS+ total since 2018, and there are higher expectations for offensive performance from the DH position. 

Adjusting the Plan
Buxton's knee has continued to bother him during the 2023 season, which has been evident throughout the season. It takes him time to pick himself up when he slides into a base, or there can be a limp when he sprints to beat out an infield hit. He's clearly not playing at 100%, but the Twins have been able to pencil him into the line-up regularly. Near the end of June, Baldelli made candid remarks about Buxton and his possibility of playing in center field. 

"At this moment in time, and from the beginning of the year, he has not been physically able to play in the outfield," said Baldelli. "If he was, he would be out there. If we even thought that it was possible that he could play in the outfield right now, he would be out there. But he can't. He can't. He physically can't."

Initially, the Twins likely hoped his knee would improve during the season so the club could use him in center field. Unfortunately, there has been little improvement with his knee, and he's also dealt with back issues. According to Baldelli, his knee isn't any worse, but it also isn't getting any better. 

Second-Half Changes
Baldelli was on MLB Network Radio at the end of last week and expressed many of the same thoughts he shared near the end of June. He said, "As of right now, I don't know if Buxton is going take the field anytime soon. The goal is to have him in the line-up every single day." Those opinions follow the company line. Still, Twins General Manager Thad Levine offered some other thoughts during Sunday's episode of Inside Twins with the team's radio announcer Cory Provus.   

Provus referenced the catch made by Cedric Mullins during the Orioles series. He approached his question from two views saying that the catch might be a catalyst for Buxton to return to center field or if the team might announce that he just isn't going to play in the outfield this season. 

"Of course, we believe the best version of the Minnesota Twins includes Byron Buxton spending some time in center field, if not a lot of time out there," Levine said. "It's an ongoing conversation… there are a lot of people who are participating in this conversation. The ones who are most central to our dialogue- Nick Paparesta, our head athletic trainer, our strength and conditioning group, and Byron himself."

He said, "Behind the scenes right now, we are doing a lot of defensive work, so when that time comes, we don't say we need three weeks to ramp him up. There are some things being done on a daily basis to help position him to be able to go out there when he is ready."

There is a glimmer of hope for fans that Buxton will see time in center field in the second half. His continued health is the most significant factor in the decision, but it's hard not to imagine the boost he could give the team the first time he steps into the outfield grass.

Will Buxton play center this year? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion.

View full article

[wabene]

[Karbo]

I think he should. I think his hitting would improve too. If his knee is so bad he can't play OF it's probably a problem hitting too. After all, he hasn't really performed well enough at the plate to warrant a full time DH position IMHO.

[tony&rodney]

Catch 22

[Brian Kingfield]

At this point it should either be CF or IL. A minimum 10-day stint on the IL certainly won’t hurt, and we won’t be missing out on much offensive production while he’s gone. The resounding quote at the beginning of the season was “we’re a better team when he’s in the lineup,” and the data backed that up. I’m not sure that’s true anymore:

[Jerr]

[Whitey333]

Sick of all the Byron Buxton talk.  This is now an 8 year story.  It's Neverending.  I understand people want him to play center field.  I understand the theory that his hitting will improve as he will be more engaged in the game.  I hope they are right.  But I just don't see it. .perhaps the first few games he may hit great while playing center field due to an emotional spark.  But it will probably just go back to normal batting.  This fascination with Buxton and great he is or could be is 8 years of overhyped.  He is what he is.  An oft injured, seldom contributer, to a flailing mediocre team just meandering through the baseball season.  Tye team has the easiest remaining schedule in all of MLB.  They should walk away with the division Buxton or not.  If they don't, heads should roll.

[USAFChief]

Center field tonight,  tomorrow, and Sunday. 5 or 6 days a week. 

 

 

 

[chinmusic]

20 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

Catch 22

At this point, better option than the status quo.😒

[Brett]

Don’t tease me bro.

[AceWrigley]

1 hour ago, wabene said:

Who is the funny looking kid on the front?

[MABB1959]

It sounds like his knee is not going to get better so what to do?  Constantly putting on the IL doesn't work and he is really taking a key position in the line-up given his production.

IMO they are at the point where they need to put him back in CF one more time and if can't do it, it  is time for him to retire.  He is the face of the franchise but he will end up being a big disappointment if this continues.  

This is worse than the Joe Mauer story.

[AceWrigley]

I think if Buck starts playing CF it will also be a morale booster for the team. It would be awesome if he can play CF and it leads the team to a good second half and division crown. The post season is a crap shoot.

[adjacent]

It looks like it is a chronic problem, so a 10 day IL would be of no to little help. I would not surprise me if there is another medical intervention at the end of the season. In the meantime, they will try to make him play what he can play. Of course I wish he could, but beyond all the talk, I don't think he can ple CF this year, and who knows if he ever can come back to play there.

[arby58]

1 hour ago, Karbo said:

I think he should. I think his hitting would improve too. If his knee is so bad he can't play OF it's probably a problem hitting too. After all, he hasn't really performed well enough at the plate to warrant a full time DH position IMHO.

I'm curious who on the team would be a better contributor as the full-time DH? He leads the team in runs scored - by a lot (43 to 33) - is tied for the lead in home runs, second in RBIs, etc. Granted, the Twins overall offensive performance is poor (24th in runs scored) but I don't see anybody who, being regularly slotted at DH, would give them better offensive performance than Buxton..

[chpettit19]

7 minutes ago, arby58 said:

I'm curious who on the team would be a better contributor as the full-time DH? He leads the team in runs scored - by a lot (43 to 33) - is tied for the lead in home runs, second in RBIs, etc. Granted, the Twins overall offensive performance is poor (24th in runs scored) but I don't see anybody who, being regularly slotted at DH, would give them better offensive performance than Buxton..

I think the answer is Buxton in CF, Polanco at 2B, and Julien at DH to get the best team with the current players. But I don't think Buxton lasts long in CF and Polanco can't seem to stay healthy this year. But when Polanco and Lewis are both back it'd be nice to have the DH spot to rotate some guys through, and have Julien be able to be there most of the time. But I don't think Buxton can play CF for any real length of time, and that's super depressing. 

[sjunisu]

1 hour ago, Whitey333 said:

Sick of all the Byron Buxton talk.  This is now an 8 year story.  It's Neverending.  I understand people want him to play center field.  I understand the theory that his hitting will improve as he will be more engaged in the game.  I hope they are right.  But I just don't see it. .perhaps the first few games he may hit great while playing center field due to an emotional spark.  But it will probably just go back to normal batting.  This fascination with Buxton and great he is or could be is 8 years of overhyped.  He is what he is.  An oft injured, seldom contributer, to a flailing mediocre team just meandering through the baseball season.  Tye team has the easiest remaining schedule in all of MLB.  They should walk away with the division Buxton or not.  If they don't, heads should roll.

[mwmarkland]

Would putting Buxton in a corner outfield slot, say swapping him and Kepler, have value? It would get him the field, but perhaps with less ground to cover.

[terrydactyls]

15 minutes ago, arby58 said:

I'm curious who on the team would be a better contributor as the full-time DH? He leads the team in runs scored - by a lot (43 to 33) - is tied for the lead in home runs, second in RBIs, etc. Granted, the Twins overall offensive performance is poor (24th in runs scored) but I don't see anybody who, being regularly slotted at DH, would give them better offensive performance than Buxton..

The question should be who provide an upgrade to the offense than Michael A Taylor.  Buxton remains in the lineup and Taylor sits.  Wallner, Julien, Larnach can all upgrade the offense.

[wabene]

1 hour ago, AceWrigley said:

Who is the funny looking kid on the front?

That's Harry

[Kipp35]

1 hour ago, Whitey333 said:

Sick of all the Byron Buxton talk.  This is now an 8 year story.  It's Neverending.  I understand people want him to play center field.  I understand the theory that his hitting will improve as he will be more engaged in the game.  I hope they are right.  But I just don't see it. .perhaps the first few games he may hit great while playing center field due to an emotional spark.  But it will probably just go back to normal batting.  This fascination with Buxton and great he is or could be is 8 years of overhyped.  He is what he is.  An oft injured, seldom contributer, to a flailing mediocre team just meandering through the baseball season.  Tye team has the easiest remaining schedule in all of MLB.  They should walk away with the division Buxton or not.  If they don't, heads should roll.

Agreed. And Rocco, Falvey and Levine can take Buxton with them to their next job. $100mm, "team friendly" deal for a guy who can't play defense and has never amounted to his "potential" as a hitter. Stop waiting and move on. He is putting up numbers Sano did! In his last full season (2021), Sano batted .223 with 30HRS. And Sano played in 135 games that year! Buxton, last season, was .224 with 28HRS. And he could only manage 92 games. It is worse having him only DH; .208 with 15HRS. Bad business deal.

[laloesch]

16 minutes ago, Kipp35 said:

Agreed. And Rocco, Falvey and Levine can take Buxton with them to their next job. $100mm, "team friendly" deal for a guy who can't play defense and has never amounted to his "potential" as a hitter. Stop waiting and move on. He is putting up numbers Sano did! In his last full season (2021), Sano batted .223 with 30HRS. And Sano played in 135 games that year! Buxton, last season, was .224 with 28HRS. And he could only manage 92 games. It is worse having him only DH; .208 with 15HRS. Bad business deal.

Only 5 more seasons to go on that deal.  And it kinda looks like it's turning into a real albatross too.  I'd take Jason Heyward and Eddie Rosario in the outfield any day of the week instead of Kepler and Gallo.  

[SteveLV]

The other thing in this situation that is puzzling to me is the apparent deference to Kepler indicating he does not want to play CF.  He can do so, not at a Buxton level, but if Kepler shifts to CF vs. RH starters this opens up lots more lineup optons for Rocco.

Does a mediocre hitter on the last year of his guaranteed contract get to tell the Coach where he will and wont play?

And I like Kepler as a person based on his interviews, but he would certainly help out the team if he would play in CF....

[AWOLNATION_11]

Easy to get frustrated over these players making nice money to play baseball and not pushing through and performing well while injured.  I can't even imagine performing against the best pitchers and other players in the world being physically 100%, yet alone dealing with back and knee injuries. Despite those limitations Buxton is still the best option we have at DH, as pointed out in prior comments.  My hope is that the Twins can stay in postseason contention (disappointing if they don't) with him at DH and his health improves or stabilizes enough that he can gut it out in CF for a few games down the stretch and during potential playoff games. Reevaluate the knee and back in the offseason to try and get back to more regular CF work in 2024. I doubt anyone in the organization or Buxton's camp is to the point of saying he's a DH-only for the rest of his career.

[Squirrel]

14 minutes ago, SteveLV said:

The other thing in this situation that is puzzling to me is the apparent deference to Kepler indicating he does not want to play CF.  He can do so, not at a Buxton level, but if Kepler shifts to CF vs. RH starters this opens up lots more lineup optons for Rocco.

Does a mediocre hitter on the last year of his guaranteed contract get to tell the Coach where he will and wont play?

And I like Kepler as a person based on his interviews, but he would certainly help out the team if he would play in CF....

While there was a time I’d have done that, I’m not certain I want Kepler in CF today. I don’t think his defense is what it used to be

[Mike Sixel]

Buxton isn't close to the best DH option in the team. I'm baffled anyone can say that. 

No new news here, just what we've known all along. If they thought he could play out there, he would 

Anyone ripping the contract is posting in bad faith. Given what was known at the time, it was a reasonable gamble. 

[Mike Sixel]

2 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

While there was a time I’d have done that, I’m not certain I want Kepler in CF today. I don’t think his defense is what it used to be

Concur 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I feel it would be financially easer for Buck to take a chance and play, since he has $100 million guaranteed, even if he injures his knee more by playing CF. But I feel sure he loves the game and would miss playing baseball. 

[AWOLNATION_11]

4 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

Buxton isn't close to the best DH option in the team. I'm baffled anyone can say that. 

"isn't close" implying multiple better options....and they would be? 

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, AWOLNATION_11 said:

"isn't close" implying multiple better options....and they would be? 

Julien and it isn't close.