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On a recent episode of Hot Mic with Dom Izzo, Cory Provus speculated that Byron Buxton’s Twins tenure could be coming to an end. Cue the record scratch. Buxton has a full no-trade clause through the 2026 season, and limited protection against trades for 2027 and 2028. He has been clear about his proclivity to remain with the team that drafted him second overall in 2012 and his love for Minnesota; where is this coming from, and could Provus be right?
In the episode, Izzo and Provus were discussing Buxton’s season and his health, and Izzo made mention that hopefully Twins fans get more of what they have this season over the next couple of years. To that, Provus said: “Is he going to be back? I don’t know. I don’t know what this is going to look like this offseason. And you know, I think if Pablo, if the Twins trade Pablo, then the likelihood of Buxton coming back, I think, drops considerably. That’s on my mind a lot. I’m kind of watching, you know, these games here this weekend, I can’t help but think in the back of my mind if this is the last time we’re going to see him as a Twin.” He continued, “I hope not. He’s awesome, and I know he loves it in Minnesota. His family loves living there. He’s been a Twin his whole life and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to know him and his family.”
Payroll, of course, will play a significant role in this decision, should it come to pass. Izzo asked Provus if he believes fans have seen Joe Ryan’s last start, and Provus demurred. “I mean, Joe is under team control…Pablo and Byron I put in a different column. Joe is very affordable and the Twins, you know, are benefitting from the system that’s set up right now. He’s under team control for two more years…Joe Ryan, I think, is somebody you keep and he’s somebody that’s affordable right now.”
This lack of payroll will prevent the Twins from contending and could lead to Buxton asking out. Despite his loyalty, recently he has been more forceful in interviews around his desire to win. He told the Pioneer Press less than three weeks ago, ““I ain’t treading water…I won’t do that. It’s all about winning for me. I ain’t a person who’s going to be walking on my toes or anything like that to satisfy anybody. I want to win.” I have some bad news for you all: if the Twins trade Pablo Lopez and/or Joe Ryan this offseason, they aren’t going to win. In this interview, he didn’t mince words, and this could also be a part of what has led to Provus’ speculation.
If Provus’ fears come to pass, the Twins may be approaching a nadir in both fan interest and ability to be even remotely competitive over the next few seasons. If this is a moment of prescience, the impact will be felt throughout the organization, perhaps to a level not seen since the Johan Santana trade nearly 20 years ago. Buxton impacts so many aspects of the Twins organization that his loss would be nearly cataclysmic.
For starters, his play: Buxton, having the best, and generally, healthiest season of his career has been one of just a few bright spots in the 2025 lineup. Losing isn’t fun. Losing badly, and often looking outmatched, even when facing mediocre opponents is worse. There have been stretches of play over the past 13 months that just tough to watch. The bad pitching by guys that have failed to take a step forward. The shoddy defense. The swords on non-competitive pitches. The base running gaffes. The inexplicable failure to hit with bases loaded.
You know who is fun, though? Byron Keiron Buxton. Knowing that Buck is in the lineup and having a special season has given fans something to tune in for. Even as his defense erodes with age, he’s still perfectly capable of making highlight-reel plays on any given night. His re-emergent speed has caused chaos on the base paths all season as he continues a career with literally the highest steal success rate in baseball history. And those majestic, leadoff home runs? They give the team a chance to win when otherwise, hope is but a fleeting memory.
Since the “right sizing” of the payroll immediately following the Twins first playoff victory since 2004, fan interest has waned, and anger has pervaded those that want nothing more than the Twins organization to seem to want to win. Post deadline fire sale and the gutting of the team, attendance has cratered by 14% year over year as fans have decided to spend their two and a half hours nightly on an activity that is less angst-inducing. It’s not clear how much more this fanbase can take before the worst-case scenario — total apathy — sets in.
If the front office trades Byron Buxton because he, too, finds the state of the team untenable, then what’s left to watch for? Sure, Luke Keaschall and the ascendent top prospects will put some butts in seats at Target Field and will get folks to tune in to Twins.TV. But for how long? Particularly when the losing, inevitably, continues? Not to mention, the kids will need mentoring. They will need examples. They will need to be taught what it means to be a major leaguer in all aspects. Buxton’s ability, class, and work ethic set a shining example for those around him. With a roster set to turn almost completely over in the next couple seasons, the Twins need someone of his caliber and character to mentor the next prospect wave as they matriculate to the Twins.
What impact would losing Buxton make on the next generation of Twins fans that could be? Will they invest their summers becoming soccer fans instead? Will football become their sport? It’s tough to say. One thing that’s certain, though, is that the Pohlad family and the front office are in danger of running the remaining fan interest into the ground.
I, for one, hope that Provus’ speculation is unfounded. I hope that the minority partners, once revealed, have the capacity to change things at One Twins Way. I hope that the Twins are able to field a competitive team, or at least one worth watching, in 2026. And more than anything, I hope that Byron Buxton continues to want what he has all along — to play his whole career for the Minnesota Twins.
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