Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton’s hand was injured after being hit by a pitch against the Chicago White Sox on April 11. It is unclear when he will be able to return to the lineup.
Continue for updates.
Latest on Buxton’s Playing Status
Saturday, April 16
Twins general manager Terry Ryan said Buxton is closer to returning after taking batting practice Saturday without experiencing any problems, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com.
On Thursday, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reported Buxton was listed as day-to-day with a left hand contusion and that X-rays were negative.
Buxton’s Injury Adds to Twins’ Rough Start
Buxton’s injury compounds the problems in Minnesota, as the Twins are off to an 0-8 start entering Thursday’s game.
Despite his youth, Buxton is reaching a point where he can be described as injury-plagued. He only played 31 games in 2014 due to wrist and concussion problems, but he bounced back early in 2015 and was called up to the big league club in June.
Unfortunately, Buxton went on the disabled list two weeks after his promotion with a thumb problem and didn’t return until August 20. He only played in 46 games, hitting .209/.250/.326 in 129 at-bats.
The 2012 No. 2 overall pick has the talent to be a superstar, but he needs to stay on the field to show his ability.
For the Twins’ sake, Buxton needs to find a way to avoid injuries. The team has an excellent nucleus with Miguel Sano, Byung Ho Park, Trevor Plouffe and Brian Dozier. Buxton has the potential to be a huge part of the franchise’s future, but it’s all dependent on him playing to hone those skills.
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