Byron Buxton Avoids Major Injury Scare as Twins Breathe a Sigh of Relief

[Cody Christie]

Monday's pregame news immediately raised concern when Byron Buxton was scratched from the lineup before the series opener against the Houston Astros. Fortunately for the Twins, the initial diagnosis could have been much worse.

An MRI revealed that Buxton is dealing with a right hip impingement and is considered day-to-day. Manager Derek Shelton said the club has no plans to place him on the Injured List, offering encouraging news after another injury scare involving the franchise centerpiece.

The issue became more apparent during Sunday's victory over Colorado when Buxton served as the designated hitter. Although he finished 0-for-4 with a strikeout, the bigger concern was how uncomfortable he looked at the plate.

"He's dealing with a little hip thing that's going on," Shelton said. "We had some imaging done, we're waiting to get back on it. Yesterday after watching him in the box, it didn't look right to me, so we had a conversation. Just giving him a day."

Shelton remained optimistic after receiving the imaging results.

"I think right now we're at a day-to-day place. Really never want to get any farther than that. I think over the course of the last week we've seen how well he's moved. We've seen him on the bases. Just yesterday it just didn't look as comfortable."

For Twins fans, hearing "day-to-day" attached to Buxton is about as positive an outcome as they could have hoped for.

After years of seeing injuries derail outstanding stretches of play, 2026 has looked different. Buxton has stayed on the field for the overwhelming majority of the season despite a few minor scares. He missed a short period in May because of hip discomfort and later spent time at designated hitter after jamming his shoulder, but he has avoided an Injured List stint altogether.

That availability has coincided with one of the best offensive seasons of his career. Buxton enters July slashing .268/.325/.573 with 25 home runs, tied for the American League lead. His 43 RBIs don't fully capture his impact, as he's once again become the top of the lineup force Minnesota envisioned years ago. That production has made him one of the favorites to start in the American League outfield at next month's All-Star Game.

Even without him, Minnesota found a way to pick up an important victory. The Twins opened their series in Houston with a 5-4 win as Royce Lewis, Josh Bell, and Victor Caratini each homered. The victory improved Minnesota to 41-45, leaving the club 4.5 games behind in the American League Central while sitting just two games out of the final Wild Card spot.

Those standings reinforce why avoiding an extended absence from Buxton matters so much. Minnesota has spent much of the first half hovering around .500, unable to string together the sustained winning streak necessary to climb into playoff position. With the All-Star break approaching, every game carries additional significance.

Now the focus shifts toward getting him back into the lineup. The Twins continue their series against Houston on Tuesday night before wrapping things up Wednesday. Then comes a trip to the Bronx for a weekend showdown with the Yankees, a venue that has historically been one of Minnesota's toughest road assignments.

If the Twins hope to build momentum heading into the All-Star break, having Buxton back in center field would be the biggest boost they could ask for. Monday's diagnosis doesn't guarantee he'll avoid further issues, but for a team whose season has already featured plenty of uncertainty, "day-to-day" qualifies as very good news.

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[amjgt]

I've breathed zero relief

[arby58]

11 minutes ago, amjgt said:

I've breathed zero relief

About the relief pitching?😉

[jaimedude]

Can they fix this without surgery? 

[amjgt]

1 hour ago, arby58 said:

About the relief pitching?😉

Similar... That's breath holding.