Byron Buxton Activated, Will Return for Field of Dreams Game

[Matthew Taylor]

The Minnesota Twins have activated Byron Buxton from the injured list, bringing their All-Star outfielder back just in time for Thursday's Field of Dreams game against the Philadelphia Phillies in Dyersville, Iowa.

Buxton has been sidelined with right hip impingement since July 29. Before the injury, he was enjoying another productive season, posting a .864 OPS with 25 home runs and 45 RBI. The 32-year-old earned his third All-Star selection earlier this season.

Because Buxton can be added as the 27th man under a special roster exemption for the Field of Dreams Game, the Twins do not have to make a corresponding roster move until Friday. Now the question is how the Twins will deploy Buxton in his return and who will be the odd man out when they make the corresponding move tomorrow.

Look for Buxton to make his return in the Field of Dreams game at 6:30pm on Netflix.

What are you expecting to see from Buxton in his return? And who do you think the Twins will move off the roster Friday? Let us know in the comments.

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[Sampson5]

Glad he's back hopefully he can get going at the plate and praying the hip isn't a issue and they aren't just rushing him back just to have it flair up in a week like last time . Gotta think they finally punt on rostering 3 healthy catchers although it's risky feel like Jackson is a guy the Yankees will claim which is why it's confusing why they didn't trade one of the catchers to at least get something in return instead of potentially losing one for nothing 

[LA Vikes Fan]

Gotta think the corresponding move tomorrow is Roden back to AAA. Just waiting to see if there's an injury tonight before making the call. My guess is they'll keep Jackson because they need him for 2027. He'll get claimed on waivers and has an arb year left so the claiming team can keep him for next year if they want, probably for less than $2m. They've kept him this long, hard to see why they'd change now just to keep Roden in the "guy who never plays" spot on the roster.    

[DJL44]

Let’s hope the move on Friday is not Buxton back to the IL.

[Cris E]

So why the 27th man for games in IA? It doesn't seem like that big a hardship? 

[Senior Softball Guy]

Methinks Roden, but putting Jackson on waivers would be tough. In September they can bring Roden back up.

[DJL44]

1 hour ago, Cris E said:

So why the 27th man for games in IA? It doesn't seem like that big a hardship? 

 No flights from AAA cities to Dyersville. Of course the Saints are in Des Moines right now so it isn’t as big of a problem for the Twins.

[DocBauer]

Well we know it's 1 of 2 options in Roden or Jackson. It might not be "fair" to send Roden down as I think he needs and deserves a little more runway. And I think the Twins would like to give it to him. And he's more useful than Jackson sitting as the #3 catcher.

But it seems sort of natural to send Roden down, replacing 1 OF with another. 

I've been fairly impressed by Jackson. And I do think the Twins want to keep him for 2027 and are worried he might be grabbed off waivers by someone. Maybe they try to sneak him through in September when teams may be less likely to need/want to grab him?

But with all due respect to him, are we really that concerned we can't trade for or sign a different #2 catcher in the offseason? Is that important to keep vs a more useful player like Roden? 

And there is the Jenkins and Rodriguez situation. One could be added by removing both Roden and Jackson, the other could be brought up September 1st. 

So yes, I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth. I'd rather give Roden more time. But I think long term thinking is important here. Removing both makes room for Buxton, and let's say Jenkins. And in a little over 2 weeks, we can bring Rodriguez up as the 14th position player without having to make a roster move. That also gives him a couple more weeks to ramp up at St Paul.

Regardless, I think it's Roden going down, fair or unfair. But I still think risking losing Jackson to bring up Jenkins is still smarter than being worried we might lose Jackson.

[HarmonK03]

9 minutes ago, DocBauer said:

Well we know it's 1 of 2 options in Roden or Jackson. It might not be "fair" to send Roden down as I think he needs and deserves a little more runway. And I think the Twins would like to give it to him. And he's more useful than Jackson sitting as the #3 catcher.

But it seems sort of natural to send Roden down, replacing 1 OF with another. 

I've been fairly impressed by Jackson. And I do think the Twins want to keep him for 2027 and are worried he might be grabbed off waivers by someone. Maybe they try to sneak him through in September when teams may be less likely to need/want to grab him?

But with all due respect to him, are we really that concerned we can't trade for or sign a different #2 catcher in the offseason? Is that important to keep vs a more useful player like Roden? 

And there is the Jenkins and Rodriguez situation. One could be added by removing both Roden and Jackson, the other could be brought up September 1st. 

So yes, I'm talking out of both sides of my mouth. I'd rather give Roden more time. But I think long term thinking is important here. Removing both makes room for Buxton, and let's say Jenkins. And in a little over 2 weeks, we can bring Rodriguez up as the 14th position player without having to make a roster move. That also gives him a couple more weeks to ramp up at St Paul.

Regardless, I think it's Roden going down, fair or unfair. But I still think risking losing Jackson to bring up Jenkins is still smarter than being worried we might lose Jackson.

Supposedly in the Gleeman podcast yesterday he said he was told the plan was not to keep Jackson as a little used 3rd catcher for the rest of the season.  I have not listened to it, but if this is true, why would they continue past this weekend, it is either a plan for the rest of the season or cut bait now.

[DocBauer]

5 minutes ago, HarmonK03 said:

Supposedly in the Gleeman podcast yesterday he said he was told the plan was not to keep Jackson as a little used 3rd catcher for the rest of the season.  I have not listened to it, but if this is true, why would they continue past this weekend, it is either a plan for the rest of the season or cut bait now.

I tend to agree. Which is part of my point of what is most important, playing the best players, promoting top prospects to get ready for 2027, or holding on to a potential #2 catcher for next season.

I mean, let's just say the Yankees, for example, decide Jackson is better than what they have. But whoever might grab him. He might be DFA'd again in the offseason. I believe, to this day, that the catcher position is undervalued. But is Jackson really so valuable they could've find a different #2 in the offseason?

I did listen to the G&G podcast from Wednesday. And I honestly don't recall Gleeman stating Jackson was going to be dropped. I think it was more his opinion, matching my own, and not a report he was passing on. But I was driving at the time, and might have missed something. 

[ashbury]

7 hours ago, Senior Softball Guy said:

Methinks Roden, but putting Jackson on waivers would be tough. In September they can bring Roden back up.

Many people's prayers have just been answered.  Alex Jackson DFA, and presumably on waivers, this evening.

[Drtwins]

10 hours ago, ashbury said:

Many people's prayers have just been answered.  Alex Jackson DFA, and presumably on waivers, this evening.

If the Twins wanted a lite hitting catcher to backup Jeffers I would have much rather had Caratini DFA'd and kept Jackson who offers solid defense, but the Twins wouldn't want to eat next year's Caratini salary.

[Cris E]

1 hour ago, Drtwins said:

If the Twins wanted a lite hitting catcher to backup Jeffers I would have much rather had Caratini DFA'd and kept Jackson who offers solid defense, but the Twins wouldn't want to eat next year's Caratini salary.

Caratini got smoked on the knee a couple weeks ago and may not be at 100% right now. But his history at the plate is far stronger than Jackson's, and he's not a bad catcher.  Given a choice between the two, I'd take the guy with a real proven record of hitting as my #1 for next year over a guy who found some Wonka ticket and rode the Golden Chariot of Enchanted BABIP to a league average OPS that's .200 over his career numbers.