Should a Return to Designated Hitter Be in the Plans for Byron Buxton?

[MeleMouth]

It would be so much easier to plan around Buxton's injuries if you could predict when they would occur. Because that's impossible, the second-best way to plan around Buxton's injuries would be to not give him a say in whether he gets to play or stay off the IL when he appears to be hurt.

The Twins fail to do that, which compounds the problem of having an unpredictable player and annually damages their roster. If he's healthy, he should play his best position. If he's even mildly hobbled, however, plenty of history shows that he should go onto the IL right away. In the meantime, let other players get comfortable with their roles until and if he again demonstrates the health to hold down the position.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

22 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

They need to do what is best for the team. Nothing more or less. But he's not earned the right to make that decision. It's not a players job to do so, and the vast majority would never take themselves out or move to a new position on their own. The FO and manager need to run the team, and the players play. 

As for DH or not? I mean, they have four starters, rotate thru DH. But if he's healthy next year, I'd trust him to field more than Keaschell....

This.  We all have bosses.  Sometimes that gets forgotten.  

[D.C Twins]

2 hours ago, rdehring said:

Keaschall, Jenkins, Buxton and Rodriguez.  Left field, center field, right field, DH.  That's four players and four positions.  Sounds like an easy decision to me.  Three play in the outfield and one at DH.  When all are healthy, rotate so each player is at DH once or twice a week, about three times every two weeks.  When one is beat up but not on the IL, he gets more time at DH and less time in the field.  When one is on the IL, problem solved.

Works for me, at least until two go on the IL at the same time.

this....This.....aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand......THIS!

 

[umterp23]

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

I think with 4 OF who can start next year we should rotate several players in and out of DH throughout the season.  I think Buxton should DH a little more but not much.  He hits better when he is out on the field.  40-50 games at DH max and 80-100 games in either CF or RF.  He should get time in bot CF and RF.

We need to adjust the numbers to be more realistic… 50-70 games in OF and about 20 games as DH. He is not getting any younger and while he is the proclaimed face of organization, he is turning more and more into a broken Mike Trout version minus the expensive contract. Front office and Manager have to do what is best for team and Buxton dictating where he wants to play on the field with a broken body is not showing leadership for the team

[MeleMouth]

13 minutes ago, umterp23 said:

We need to adjust the numbers to be more realistic… 50-70 games in OF and about 20 games as DH. He is not getting any younger and while he is the proclaimed face of organization, he is turning more and more into a broken Mike Trout version minus the expensive contract. Front office and Manager have to do what is best for team and Buxton dictating where he wants to play on the field with a broken body is not showing leadership for the team

Trout is a good comparison. Interestingly, in a positive way, is that he has played 130 games this year and last year. Interestingly, in a less positive way, he's still playing CF, even though he's not that good at it anymore and the Angels actually roster someone who's a better CF. Perhaps another downside of having a "face of the organization. . ." Suggested rule to follow: if the Angels are the only other team doing what you're doing, strongly consider not doing it anymore.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

3 hours ago, TheLeviathan said:

I appreciate the purpose behind the question and I think the Twins should be discussing this behind closed doors both as an organization and in cooperation with Buck.

The Twins don't have another good CF option on the roster.  If they can change that somehow by going out and finding an option that makes sense for the team and the organization than the conversation changes.  Until such time as another option exists....Buxton is the CFer for this team.  It's one of the few places they have a legitimately good defender penciled in.  

Might be worth looking at someone like Victor Scott as a AAA guy to have around so at least you have a legit defensive guy in the fold somewhere.  (Work on his hitting obviously)

Where is La Tortuga when we need him?

[Derojo]

If the Twins give Buck a large say in his handling, he'll be playing CF. 

[JBK]

The Twins "season" can no longer revolves around Byron.  He needs to fit in where they need him to fit, whatever/wherever that is.

[bean5302]

It's like people are convinced playing center field is the equivalent of a hard core gym workout. Mostly, it's standing out there, a jog in and out of the dugout between innings. There are maybe 3 sprints a game for the average center fielder, along with an occasional light job to field a routine fly.

[lukeduke1980]

Instead of missing the 2nd half of the season, try more DH and days off up to the trade deadline, then if you're in contention, he probably plays more CF.  I think the spirit of the Michael Taylor plan.  

[ewen21]

4 hours ago, Linus said:

Buxton is the best CF on the roster and it’s not close. He will likely be the best CF on the roster through the term of his contract. EmRod and Jenkins are best suited for the corners. 

Yeah, and he has started precisely 400 games in centerfield over the last five years.  That doesn't even averages out to one game less than half of a season each year of those last five years and after hip surgery, at 33 years old this will not start improving next year.  It is guaranteed to get even worse, so when you say what you just said, what does it actually have to do with the Minnesota Twins remedy to find a centerfielder to play the games Buxton doesn't play?  It has been the same problem year after year.  He will 33, coming off hip surgery. At what point do you let go?

 

[Road trip]

4 hours ago, bean5302 said:

Buxton's pretty cautious for years in the field at this point. I think you're significantly overstating the number of injuries which stem from playing outfield. Other than an occasional eary career full speed run into walls or MiLB injury diving for a ball (finger/wrist) I don't recall outfield caused injuries.

He's missed time being HBP or "running" which happens on the base paths too.

This didn't quite match my memory, so checking the history (using AI, which I don't fully trust, but these were all cited)

Major Outfield Defensive Injuries

A high number of his most severe, impact-related injured list (IL) stints happened while tracking fly balls or making diving plays in the outfield grass:

• August 2014 (Double-A): Suffered a severe concussion after a violent, season-ending outfield collision with teammate Mike Berardino. [1]
• October 2014 (Arizona Fall League): Suffered a dislocated and fractured left finger while diving for a ball in the outfield.
  [1]
• July 2018: Suffered a left wrist injury after crashing into the outfield wall to make a catch.
• August 2019: Suffered a major right shoulder torn labrum after slamming into the center-field wall in Miami, which ultimately required season-ending surgery. [1, 2]
• May 2025: Landed in concussion protocol alongside teammate Carlos Correa following a scary outfield collision while both players aggressively pursued a fly ball. [1]
• June 2026: Suffered a right shoulder contusion after once again colliding with the center-field wall while making a running catch against the Kansas City Royals. [1, 2]
• August 2026: His persistent, season-ending right hip injury flared up directly on the outfield grass when he awkwardly decelerated and reached down to field a ball in the right-center gap. [1, 2]

I agree that Buxton is probably more aware of his limitations and is more careful playing the outfield now.  And yet, May 2025 and June 2026 would point to instances where being more aware wasn't enough.

Having said that, if Buxton can't field a lot of his value disappears.  If RF makes more sense he will be an asset there, when healthy.

[ewen21]

50 minutes ago, Derojo said:

If the Twins give Buck a large say in his handling, he'll be playing CF. 

Therein lies the problem.  He is treated like he's the prince of a royal family.  What do they do, "Gee, Mr. Buxton, sir....can we please move you to LF field, sir?".  What is he going to say?  Is he going to get mad? Who cares at this point.  The Twins have made all kinds of adjustments, accomodations for him and the contract he signed centered on that,  Had he been able to show he can play 130-140 games in a season with regularity he'd have gotten a bigger contract.  As it is he has played less than half the scheduled games in CF the last five seasons and this will not improve with age.  Something must be done and he should have very little say in it at this point.  If he balks and acts out the way he did in 2018 when he was not called up in September then the Twins need to grow a pair of balls and tell him he isn't going to be resigned because he in no way should be dictating terms.  If he wants to play baseball after 2029 it should be someplace else.  

 

This is a player who has 862 hits after 12 seasons of playing for the Twins and yet he gets a "face of the franchise" tag.  This team has roughly a .500 record over the last ten years.  This idea that we NEED Buxton and that he has to remain a "Twin for life" is just absurd to me.  The front office has a team to run.  Buxton can be a team player and accept what his future is here or he can drop his no trade and test the market.  I have no use for him any longer

[Rodney29]

I asked the question of AI “what is Byron Buxton’s career batting average when he is a designated hitter?”

The answer came back as he has hit between .220 and .225.

Aren’t we looking for a bit more than that from our next DH? Especially if Byron doesn’t have much success with hitting with runners in scoring position. 
 

Let him have the surgery and see if it is successful. If we have baseball in 2027, let’s see how the first 6 weeks of him playing goes and then some hard decisions will have to be made. 

 

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, Rodney29 said:

I asked the question of AI “what is Byron Buxton’s career batting average when he is a designated hitter?”

The answer came back as he has hit between .220 and .225.

Aren’t we looking for a bit more than that from our next DH? Especially if Byron doesn’t have much success with hitting with runners in scoring position. 
 

Let him have the surgery and see if it is successful. If we have baseball in 2027, let’s see how the first 6 weeks of him playing goes and then some hard decisions will have to be made. 

 

WTH would anyone use AI for anything? Also, this is easy to do on fangraphs..... Please don't use AI.

[Cory Engelhardt]

Let’s get his hip right first. But let’s say his hip is ok and he is relatively healthy; if that’s the case I have to think he would provide better defense in a corner compared to Keaschall no?

[Linus]

1 hour ago, ewen21 said:

Yeah, and he has started precisely 400 games in centerfield over the last five years.  That doesn't even averages out to one game less than half of a season each year of those last five years and after hip surgery, at 33 years old this will not start improving next year.  It is guaranteed to get even worse, so when you say what you just said, what does it actually have to do with the Minnesota Twins remedy to find a centerfielder to play the games Buxton doesn't play?  It has been the same problem year after year.  He will 33, coming off hip surgery. At what point do you let go?

 

I’m well aware of his injury history even without you bringing it up in any thread remotely related to Buxton. Going forward they have players who can play CF if / when he gets hurt. When healthy he is their best CF. He is under contract for two more years - he’s not going anywhere so get over it. 

[ewen21]

49 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

WTH would anyone use AI for anything? Also, this is easy to do on fangraphs..... Please don't use AI.

Did AI produce the answer?  Yes, it did.  While I share some of the same concerns and dislikes of AI we are talking about a BASEBALL PLAYER'S BATTING AVERAGE.  He is 125 for 561 as a DH according to baseball-reference.  I hope that is satisfactory

[ewen21]

4 minutes ago, Linus said:

I’m well aware of his injury history even without you bringing it up in any thread remotely related to Buxton. Going forward they have players who can play CF if / when he gets hurt. When healthy he is their best CF. He is under contract for two more years - he’s not going anywhere so get over it. 

Whether I bring that up in any thread remotely related to Buxton (and I have barely been here the last few seasons).  The problem still exists and people are going to talk about it as long as he is here so you get over it

 

7 minutes ago, Linus said:

 he’s not going anywhere so get over it. 

Oh I am sooooo over it.  I have a question for you.  Do you like the idea of signing him after the contract is up (and if he is still around when it does run out)

[Linus]

1 minute ago, ewen21 said:

Whether I bring that up in any thread remotely related to Buxton (and I have barely been here the last few seasons).  The problem still exists and people are going to talk about it as long as he is here so you get over it

 

Oh I am sooooo over it.  I have a question for you.  Do you like the idea of signing him after the contract is up (and if he is still around when it does run out)

Don’t know. Two years from now is a long time - it’s not really a question to worry about right now. If the injuries continue, probably not. If he somehow had a healthy stretch I would consider it but the money would have to be right. 

[ewen21]

1 hour ago, Rodney29 said:

Byron doesn’t have much success with hitting with runners in scoring position. 

This is very much the case and we are not talking about a small sample size.  In 791 at bats he was 257 Ks (about 1/3 of those plate appearances) and a lifetime .228 average.  That is our "face of the franchise"🤣

[djvang]

6 hours ago, bean5302 said:

DH's still need to run the bases. Moving Buxton to DH won't meaningfully help his health. I've seen no evidence suggesting moving to a new position on the baseball field (including DH) makes chronic issues disappear.

 

Buxton's career BA as DH is .212. So he won't have to do a lot of running.

[ewen21]

1 minute ago, djvang said:

Buxton's career BA as DH is .212. So he won't have to do a lot of running.

It's actually .228.  

https://www.baseball-reference.com/tools/split_stats.cgi?full=1&params=bases|RISP|buxtoby01|bat|AB|

 

[djvang]

4 minutes ago, ewen21 said:

It's actually .228.  

https://www.baseball-reference.com/tools/split_stats.cgi?full=1&params=bases|RISP|buxtoby01|bat|AB|

 

I got this when I Googled it. Either way it's not good.

[djvang]

5 hours ago, Hunter4848 said:

You cant be considered the best center fielder on the roster when you only play half the games

Bingo. A talented player on the IL is useless.

[Twins GFP]

5 hours ago, rdehring said:

Keaschall, Jenkins, Buxton and Rodriguez.  Left field, center field, right field, DH.  That's four players and four positions.  Sounds like an easy decision to me.  Three play in the outfield and one at DH.  When all are healthy, rotate so each player is at DH once or twice a week, about three times every two weeks.  When one is beat up but not on the IL, he gets more time at DH and less time in the field.  When one is on the IL, problem solved.

Works for me, at least until two go on the IL at the same time.

Yeah, I don't know why this has to be an either/or discussion. Assuming Jenkins figures things out at the plate, having 4 playable outfielders is a good problem to have. I think the bigger discussion might be moving Buxton to a corner if they believe it will put less stress on his body.

[ewen21]

9 minutes ago, Linus said:

Don’t know. Two years from now is a long time - it’s not really a question to worry about right now. If the injuries continue, probably not. If he somehow had a healthy stretch I would consider it but the money would have to be right. 

I do know.  THe answer is a hard NO.  In fact, I would test his desire a couple of weeks before the trade deadline especially if we are sellers next year (and we will be).

Baseball is a business.  He needs to grow up.  It isn't like he's won four rings like Derek Jeter.  He as compiled 862 hits over TWELVE seasons.  If he wants to play baseball beyond 2028 we ought to be forthright and give him a chance to waive his no trade because his "Twin for life" thing would be cooked.

[Andy MacPhail]

DH isn't a position where anybody can just be proficient at. Players who are deficient at defense can often embrace DHing. But IMO those, especially those who take pride in their glove, have difficulty adjusting to sitting on the bench & come in cold to have good productive ABs. So, besides not contributing on the field, his bat takes a hit (pun not intended). So no to DHing for Buck until he says so. Only he knows when or if to make that transition.

[djvang]

5 hours ago, rdehring said:

Keaschall, Jenkins, Buxton and Rodriguez.  Left field, center field, right field, DH.  

 

I don't like Keaschall in the OF unless they can change his throwing motion, which I don't know is possible. He's got the throwing motion of a 2B. It's almost sidearm. That doesn't work in the OF. His arm and his glove makes him a DH.

[Linus]

12 minutes ago, ewen21 said:

I do know.  THe answer is a hard NO.  In fact, I would test his desire a couple of weeks before the trade deadline especially if we are sellers next year (and we will be).

Baseball is a business.  He needs to grow up.  It isn't like he's won four rings like Derek Jeter.  He as compiled 862 hits over TWELVE seasons.  If he wants to play baseball beyond 2028 we ought to be forthright and give him a chance to waive his no trade because his "Twin for life" thing would be cooked.

I’m not surprised. I regret I even entered this thread. Rage on.