Byron Buxton Continues to Make His Feelings About a Trade Crystal Clear

[Cody Christie]

As MLB’s August 3 trade deadline inches closer, the Minnesota Twins continue to occupy baseball's uncomfortable middle ground. They're not out of the race. They're not exactly contenders either.

At 36-40, Minnesota sits third in the American League Central, 4 1/2 games behind the division-leading Cleveland Guardians and lingering on the outskirts of the Wild Card picture. FanGraphs gives them a 28.7% chance of reaching the postseason, which is enough hope to keep the front office from making any easy decisions over the next six weeks.

That uncertainty has naturally fueled trade speculation, and one name that continues to generate national attention is Byron Buxton. ESPN recently ranked the top trade candidates ahead of the deadline, placing Buxton second overall behind Detroit ace Tarik Skubal. While ESPN acknowledged the hurdles involved, they still assigned a 30% chance that Buxton could be moved before the deadline.

There's just one problem with that prediction. Buxton doesn't sound remotely interested.

When asked by The Athletic about his name surfacing in trade rumors, the Twins center fielder didn't leave much room for interpretation.

Buxton said, "I don't give a f---."

He wasn't finished.

"End of the day, nobody's in my shoes. Nobody can say anything about what I'm going to do. I know what I'm a doing. The only way I'm getting out of here -- they're going to have to come talk to me and tell me something else. Simple as that. ... I ain't said nothing about leaving, nor will I. I'm a Twin."

That's about as definitive as a player can be. Of course, Buxton has backed up those words before. During the 2025 All-Star festivities, he repeatedly stated his desire to spend his entire career in Minnesota. Every time the topic has surfaced over the last couple of seasons, his answer has remained remarkably consistent.

He's a Twin, and he wants to stay a Twin. That matters because Buxton isn't just another player with trade value. He controls much of the situation himself.

The 32-year-old has two seasons remaining after this year on the seven-year, $100 million extension he signed before the 2022 season. More importantly, he possesses a full no-trade clause and reached 10-5 rights earlier this season. Any potential deal would require his approval.

That's a significant obstacle for rival executives dreaming up blockbuster scenarios. Could Buxton waive that protection under the right circumstances? Sure. Every no-trade clause comes with an asking price. But based on everything he's said publicly, there is currently no indication that he's looking for a way out.

And from Minnesota's perspective, trading him would be complicated even if they wanted to explore the possibility.

The Twins already endured a painful teardown last summer when they moved 10 players at the trade deadline. Ownership then followed by trimming approximately $38 million from payroll during the offseason. Asking fans to watch another sell-off while simultaneously moving the most popular player in the organization would be difficult to justify.

It would also mean parting with one of the best seasons of Buxton's career. Through 64 games, he's batting .270 with 23 home runs and 36 RBIs while once again providing elite defense in center field. When healthy, he's still capable of impacting games in ways very few players can.

That's why national outlets continue to mention his name. Teams would line up for the opportunity to acquire a player with Buxton's talent. The challenge is that the player himself doesn't seem interested in joining that conversation.

The Twins still have plenty of time to determine whether they'll buy, sell, or attempt something in between. Their performance over the next six weeks will likely dictate the direction of the deadline. But unless Buxton experiences a dramatic change of heart, the trade rumors surrounding him may be generating far more noise outside Minnesota than inside the clubhouse.

For now, Buxton's stance remains exactly what it has been for years. He's a Twin. And he seems perfectly happy keeping it that way.

 

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[Brock Beauchamp]

Ooh, Byron's getting fiesty in his old age.

[Vanimal46]

It must be frustrating having to address nonsense every June and July for Buxton. What a great quote. I wonder if that’s clear enough for Jeff Passan and Jim Bowden?

[Mike Sixel]

Sign him to a three year extension.....

[The Great Hambino]

1 hour ago, Vanimal46 said:

It must be frustrating having to address nonsense every June and July for Buxton. What a great quote. I wonder if that’s clear enough for Jeff Passan and Jim Bowden?

I don't know about Passan, but definitely not for Bowden.  My theory is that he isn't even a living organism; he is poorly-designed AI that crowdsources trade ideas from Long Island 12 year olds

It's to the point where I'm mildly annoyed with anyone that cites him as a source.  You're just giving him more of whatever he runs on in place of oxygen

[Dman]

It makes sense that teams are interested as he is a 5 tool player on a bad team. So to some extent I get it. Still it Sucks that Buxton has to deal with this every year, but I do love his response.  I also love that he is all in on this team just makes us all love him more.