Byron Buxton is getting close to coming off the injured list, and that means the Twins are about to face a roster squeeze.
Multiple reports have Buxton nearing a return, and manager Derek Shelton said the center fielder could even be activated for Thursday’s Field of Dreams Game in Dyersville, Iowa. If that doesn’t happen, Buxton is expected back after Friday’s off day.
“Tomorrow is a possibility,” Shelton said to reporters, including MLB.com's Matthew Leach, before Wednesday's win over the Orioles. “I don’t want to say tomorrow is the day.
… As we continue to add volume, and Monday was the big day of adding a ton of volume. We’ll see how he is tomorrow.”
Once Buxton is back, Minnesota will need to clear a spot on the active roster. Two names stand out as the most likely candidates: outfielder Alan Roden and catcher Alex Jackson.
Roden may have helped his case in Wednesday’s 7-5 win over the Orioles, going 3-for-3 with two doubles, a walk, an RBI and a run scored. But the bigger picture still works against him. Since being recalled on July 7, he had been slashing .192/.279/.212 in 61 plate appearances before that breakout game.
The Twins could also lean on the fact that Roden has options. With Buxton in center, Trevor Larnach in left and Luke Keaschall in right, there may not be much regular playing time available for him anyway.
Minnesota could choose to send him to Triple-A St. Paul so he can play every day rather than sit on the bench.
Jackson is a different case because he is out of options. If the Twins want to remove him from the 26-man roster, they would have to designate him for assignment and either trade him or put him on waivers.
Since having his contract selected in May, Jackson has put together a solid line at the plate, hitting .303/.333/.409 with one homer and five RBI over 69 plate appearances. Still, his longer track record points the other way, with a career .174/.252/.305 slash line in 509 MLB plate appearances.
Playing time has also been scarce for Jackson since Ryan Jeffers returned from the IL about a month ago. The Twins already have Victor Caratini as a backup catcher, and Caratini can also handle first base, which overlaps with Jackson’s versatility.
There’s still some uncertainty about which way the Twins will go. Moving Roden would preserve the 40-man roster, but Jackson has not been used much either. Shelton could also value keeping a third catcher around when both Jeffers and Caratini are in the lineup at the same time.
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