Byron Buxton Speaks Out: Loyalty to Twins Tested by Offseason Trade Rumors
FORT MYERS, Fla. - Byron Buxton isn’t one to stir the pot, but when he spoke to reporters for the first time this spring, it was clear: this offseason left a mark.
The Twins’ center fielder - and former All-Star - made it known that hearing his name tossed around in trade rumors didn’t sit right with him. And frankly, you can’t blame him.
Buxton has been vocal about his commitment to Minnesota, even when the team was struggling. At last year’s All-Star break, when the Twins were sliding out of contention, he didn’t hedge.
“I’m a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life,” he said at the time. And after the front office hit the reset button at the trade deadline, he doubled down on that loyalty.
So when his name surfaced in the rumor mill again this winter - this time alongside starters Joe Ryan and Pablo López - Buxton expected the organization to have his back publicly. That didn’t happen, and he didn’t hide his frustration.
“All it takes is for somebody at the top to go to the media, ‘We’re not trading you,’” Buxton said Sunday. “Trade rumors stop, and now we don’t have those conversations. That’s how simple this could get.”
There’s a difference between understanding the business side of baseball and feeling blindsided by it. Buxton gets the former - he’s been around long enough to know how things work.
But when a player with a full no-trade clause, who’s repeatedly pledged his allegiance to the franchise, sees his name in the headlines without any pushback from the front office? That stings.
It wasn’t just about him, either. Buxton stayed in contact with Ryan and López during the offseason - a trio of core players who’ve been instrumental to Minnesota’s identity. But instead of gearing up for another run together, they found themselves having what Buxton called “unnecessary conversations” - discussions fueled by trade rumors, not reality.
And that uncertainty? It lingered.
“The offseason was different,” Buxton said. “It’s a lot of guys in here that were pulling for each other and then to have your name blasted, and you know where we want to be, you know what we’re trying to work towards, you know what we’re doing, it’s different.
I will say that. It’s different.”
Buxton’s words weren’t fiery - they were measured, honest, and grounded in a deep connection to the clubhouse. This is a player who’s battled injuries, weathered rebuilds, and still shows up as a leader. He’s not just fighting for his own place on the roster - he’s fighting for the culture of the team.
What happens next is up to the front office. But one thing’s clear: Buxton still sees himself in a Twins uniform, still believes in the group around him, and still wants to be part of whatever comes next. The question now is whether the organization will match that commitment - not just behind closed doors, but out in the open, where it counts.