Minnesota Twins Make Byron Buxton Decision After 14 Games

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The Minnesota Twins are off to a surprising 9-7 start in 2026, but one of the biggest storylines surrounding the team has been the slow beginning from Byron Buxton.

The 32-year-old center fielder entered the season expected to anchor the offense, yet through 14 games he has not looked like the player Minnesota needs him to be.

Buxton owns a .182 batting average, .258 on-base percentage, .531 OPS, no home runs and just one RBI across his first 55 at-bats, a concerning trend for a player who is supposed to be one of the lineup’s driving forces.

The Twins announced their lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays and Buxton was not included. Instead, James Outman drew the start in center field. It was an interesting decision, especially given that Buxton has remained healthy and has appeared in nearly every game so far.

Minnesota’s choice to sit him comes at a time when the team is playing its best baseball of the young season.

The Twins defeated Toronto 8-2 on Sunday without Buxton, securing their second straight series win and improving to 9-7, a record tied for the best in the American League. They have won six of their last seven games, and the most impressive part is that they have done it without meaningful offensive production from Buxton.

Still, if the Twins want to sustain this run and remain a competent contender, they will eventually need Buxton to return to peak form. He is a former Platinum Glove winner, Gold Glove winner, Silver Slugger and two-time All-Star across 12 seasons with the organization.

He has spent his entire career in Minnesota after being selected second overall in the 2012 MLB Draft, and the team continues to view him as the face of the franchise.

The good news is that Buxton is healthy. He had a brief scare earlier in April after being hit by a pitch on the right forearm but missed only one game. His availability has not been the issue. Instead, it is simply a matter of finding his swing.

Buxton remains under contract on a seven-year, $100 million deal that runs through the 2028 season, and he holds a full no-trade clause. His name surfaced in rumors last year as the Twins shifted toward a younger roster, but if Minnesota keeps playing this well, he is likely staying put. Now the question becomes whether this brief reset helps him get back on track.