Byron Buxton Continues to Validate the Best Decision in the History of the Twins Franchise

I vividly remember the day: December 1st, 2021. I was in Jamaica for a friend's wedding, already steeped in sunny bliss, when I opened my phone and saw the news: Buxton inks 7-year extension to remain a Twin. One of the more joyful moments I can remember.

As Byron Buxton plays at an MVP-level and positions himself for a second straight All-Star appearance, it can be easy to forget just how close this franchise-altering contract extension came to not happening. With the lockout looming that winter — a three-month shutdown would commence the following day, on December 2nd — there was a sense that it was now-or-never for a Buxton extension. If he were to enter his final season under contract without one in place, he was all but assured to test free agency.

Those weeks leading up to the lockout were frustrating, as reports painted a picture of reasonable demands from Buxton's camp and a Twins front office that inexplicably balked at low-risk propositions. Eventually the two sides got a deal done, and it was a favorable one for club: seven years, $100 million with ambitious incentives. The definition of a team-friendly pact, but also one that satisfied Buxton's target for a nine-digit guaranteed payday. 

I've never been more grateful for any move this team has made. It was a total win/win that's very much been proven out as such over time.

For Buxton, the peace of mind was valuable. He put together an All-Star first half in 2022 but wore down in the second half, giving way to an injury-wrecked 2023 campaign that saw him reduced to a near replacement-level player, posting below-average production as a full-time DH. At that time, Buxton's future was very much in doubt but he at least had the financial security of his guaranteed long-term deal. 

Of course, knowing Buxton, he wasn't going to let that security stop him from giving his all to overcome the health woes that continually plagued him. A knee surgery in the following offseason finally delivered the answer. Buxton returned to center field in 2024 and played 102 games, his most in seven years. Then he took another step forward in 2025, setting a career high with 542 plate appearances while making the All-Star team, participating in the Home Run Derby and placing 11th in the MVP voting. 

Here at age 32, Buxton has somehow unlocked another gear. He is near the top of the league leaderboard for home runs after popping five in the past week to push his season total to 23. He's on pace for 6.3 fWAR in over 600 plate appearances, which would easily surpass last year's personal bests.

Buxton came into this season with a chip on his shoulder after placing outside of the top 10 in last year's MVP balloting, to his financial detriment. He's at no risk of that happening again if he stays on this track. He's posting elite numbers as an (almost) everyday center fielder, and if you want to talk about value to his team specifically, Buxton leads Twins position players in WAR by more than a full win. 

And to think, he could've been doing it all elsewhere. Can you imagine?

I'll admit, I might be biased in calling Buxton's extension the best move in Twins history. He is my favorite player ever. A great person, who has never ruffled feathers and is constantly heralded by those around him. A great player, with a uniquely spectacular set of skills: elite power, speed and defense that enable him to impact games in a multitude of ways.

But above all, what really differentiates Buxton from almost any player I've followed is the character and loyalty. He doesn't just talk the talk about his commitment to the Twins, he has backed it up — first by signing that team-friendly contract back in 2021, and more recently by reiterating repeatedly his desire to hold to his no-trade clause and retire a Twin. 

Sure, you could say similar things about a guy like Joe Mauer, who also bypassed the possibility of a bigger free agency payday by signing an extension and staying home in 2009. But for Mauer, Minnesota was just that: home. Buxton joined the Twins franchise in 2012 as a skinny teenager from Baxley, GA, with no real ties to the local community. His loyalty was built through the experiences and relationships he's made here. It's special.

And if I'm being honest, it makes me feel all the more bitter toward a Twins franchise that is unwilling to reward that loyalty with a competitive effort around Buxton as he reaches his full potential in the late stage of his prime. This roster's shortcomings entering the season were plain to see, regardless of Tom Pohlad's lip service, and now we're seeing what happens as an undermanned team ventures into the heart of the season: they are predictably running aground. 

Maybe it'll change. Maybe the latest Pohlad figurehead will prove true to his word with a more ambitious approach to supporting the major-league roster. There are reasons for optimism. The Twins have assembled an impressive wave of young pitching talent, with several highly regarded prospects nearing the big leagues. The foundation for another competitive run is there if ownership is willing to supplement it.

But hope doesn't stop the clock.

Buxton turns 33 next season. As remarkable as his late-career renaissance has been, age remains undefeated. In some ways, that's the great tragedy of his career. Injuries robbed baseball fans of seeing this version of Buxton over the span of a decade. Had his body cooperated, we might be talking about a player building a Hall of Fame résumé instead of one still trying to make up for lost time.

What's more frustrating is that when the Twins were at their strongest and making playoff runs over the past decade — 2019, 2020 and 2023 — Buxton was either sidelined or significantly limited. Now, at long last, we're getting the sustained, MVP-caliber version of the player everyone always imagined. The problem is that the team around him isn't holding up its end of the bargain.

As a fan, that's where I find myself conflicted. More than anything, I want Buxton to retire a Twin. I want him to be remembered as one of the greatest players in franchise history and to finally experience the sustained success that has so often eluded him. But increasingly, my desire to see Byron Buxton thrive in October outweighs my desire to watch him put up monster seasons for a mediocre baseball team.

That's a difficult feeling to wrestle with when your favorite player has spent his entire career showing loyalty to one organization. Yet as Buxton continues validating the best contract decision the Twins have ever made, the franchise faces a simple question: are they going to give him a real chance to finish the story he stayed here to write?