Buxton returns from hip strain, giving Twins a boost

The Twins activated Byron Buxton from the 10-day injured list, bringing back their center fielder after nine games out with a right hip strain and giving Minnesota one of its most disruptive players for the stretch run. His return mattered immediately because Buxton changes both sides of the ball: he turns balls into outs in center field and forces opposing pitchers to account for a power threat in the middle of the lineup.

Buxton first went on the injured list July 7 after an MRI revealed a Grade 2 right hip strain. Rocco Baldelli said then that the timetable was likely “more a discussion of weeks than days,” a cautious approach that reflected how much Buxton’s game depends on full lower-body health. The hip problem flared in New York against the Yankees, where Buxton left after the first inning and then sat out for several days before the club decided he was ready to return.

The injury also knocked Buxton out of the All-Star Game, a reminder that the issue interrupted what had been an All-Star-caliber first half. At the time of his activation, ESPN listed Buxton sixth in the majors with 25 home runs, a number that underscores how much offense Minnesota regains when he is in the lineup. The Twins had enough run production around them that the club did not need to force the issue earlier, especially with The Athletic noting on July 1 that the offense was peaking.

What Minnesota gets back now goes beyond the box score. Buxton’s speed and range make him one of the club’s most important defensive assets in center field, and his presence changes late-game strategy because balls in the gap are less likely to become extra bases when he is patrolling the outfield. It also affects lineup construction, because his bat gives the Twins a hitter capable of changing how opponents pitch around the rest of the order.

For a team trying to stay in the race, the real question is not whether Buxton can make an impact. It is whether Minnesota can finally count on him long enough to let that impact matter in the standings.