Byron Buxton’s availability has never been the easy part. The Twins know that better than anyone. But when you look past the injury log and into the value he’s actually produced, the seven-year, $100 million extension he signed after the 2021 season starts to look like a bargain.
Since the start of the 2018 season, Buxton has played in just 713 games across nine seasons. One of those years was the shortened 60-game pandemic season, but even with that caveat, the total is light for a player deep into his career. The Twins still committed to him anyway, and they did it because of his talent, his injury history, and his loyalty to the organization.
That deal has already returned real value. In the five seasons since Buxton signed the extension, he has appeared in 498 games.
The missed time has led plenty of people to assume the contract hasn’t paid off. The numbers say otherwise.
FanGraphs values players through WAR, and since the start of the 2022 season, Buxton has been worth $122.3 million with 15.2 WAR. That means Minnesota has already gotten more value than the price tag on the contract. With two more seasons of team control left, he still has a chance to push that total even higher before the deal runs its course.
None of that changes the bigger goal, of course. The Twins still haven’t won a World Series, and if Buxton had stayed healthier since his MLB debut through 2026, Minnesota might have had a deeper postseason run. But the production on the field makes one thing clear: Buxton’s injuries have not been the reason the Twins have fallen short with him.
His 2026 season was thrown off by another setback. Buxton made the American League All-Star Team and hit 25 homers in the first half, then played only 18 games after the break because of a hip problem that sent him to the injured list three separate times. He had hip surgery in September and is expected to be ready for spring training.
If he’s healthy, Buxton should be in Minnesota’s 2027 Opening Day lineup. He has made it clear he won’t waive his no-trade clause, and he’s likely to remain the club’s starting center fielder. He’s still an elite defender, though the Twins could think about shifting him to a corner spot now that top center field prospect Walker Jenkins has made his MLB debut.
In Other News...
Twins Deadline Move Could Quietly Solve A Growing Rotation Need
Minnesotas deadline work brought in a familiar kind of pitcher in Dean Kremer, the sort of arm that can matter just as much for stability as for splash. After arriving from Baltimore, Kremer gave the Twins 10 starts and settled in with a 3.48 ERA over 54.1 innings, a useful stretch for a club trying to keep its rotation from getting stretched too thin while other arms work back into form.
What makes the move more interesting is that it does not feel like a one-and-done rental. Kremer gives Minnesota another layer of pitching depth at a time when those innings are at a premium, and his presence could quietly ease some pressure on the rest of the staff as the Twins sort through their rotation needs. For a team that has had to manage both performance and recovery on the mound, that kind of insurance can end up being one of the more valuable deadline additions. [Read more 🡒]
Twins Prospect Kyle DeBarge Is Forcing A Bigger 2027 Conversation
Kyle DeBarges fall has only added to the sense that the Twins may have something real brewing at second base. Sent to the Arizona Fall League for extra development, the young infielder has used the assignment to keep building momentum, showing the kind of offensive polish and athleticism that can make a prospect hard to ignore. His performance has been strong enough to place him among the more notable names in the circuit, which is exactly the sort of attention Minnesota wants from a player still early in his climb.
The bigger question now is how quickly that progress translates once the games count again. DeBarge is expected to open the 2027 minor league season at Double-A Wichita, with Triple-A St. Paul within reach if he keeps forcing the issue. For a Twins organization always sorting out the long view in the middle infield, his rise is creating a conversation that reaches beyond the usual prospect chatter and into what kind of timeline Minnesota may need to plan around. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Wallner Faces A Bigger Twins Question Than Just A Return
Matt Wallner opened the 2026 season as the Twins right fielder and cleanup hitter, but his year quickly turned into a reset when the club sent him to Triple-A St. Paul in May. The move reflected more than a short-term slump. Wallners bat never settled in the way Minnesota needed, and the organization was left weighing what his role looks like when he is ready to come back.
Wallner has also sounded uncertain about whether that return is straightforward, which is where the bigger question begins for the Twins. Even if he gets another shot in the majors, he may have to fight for at-bats in an outfield mix or carve out time at designated hitter, rather than simply sliding back into the job he lost. For a player whose power has long been his calling card, the challenge now is proving he can still force his way into the lineup. [Read more 🡒]