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The Minnesota Twins will be given some reinforcements for tonight's game against the Detroit Tigers as star outfielder Byron Buxton has been activated from the IL. The Gold Glove winner is set to return to action for the first time since June 1 when he was struck in the ribs by a pitch.
The 29-year-old has been sidelined with a rib contusion following the incident. While Byron Buxton was first eligible to be activated from the IL on Tuesday, manager Rocco Baldelli waited until today to so do. Now, the All-Star outfielder is set to bat cleanup tonight, however, he will serve as the designated hitter as the team will likely ease him back into action.
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"The #MNTwins offense is hot, Byron Buxton is back, and Detroit is in town, carrying a red hot 27-39 record. One game at a time, but the Twins need to absolutely spank the Tigers for the next four days." - @tjhartmanmusic
The oft-injured Buxton has struggled with injuries throughout his MLB career, however, when he is healthy, he has showcased his superstar talent. That being said, the Minnesota Twins superstar has only played more than 100 games once in his career, which has limited his sky-high potential.
If Buxton can stay relatively healthy, it will be a massive boost for the Minnesota Twins, who sit first in the American League Central. So far this season, the talented outfielder has struggled to perform at his previous All-Star level, posting a .220 batting average with 10 home runs and 23 RBIs.
"My prediction is that Byron Buxton hits a towering homerun in his first plate appearance tonight. Bookmark it, y'all. #MNTwins" - @tjhartmanmusic
Buxton will bat fourth tonight, behind Donovan Solano, Carlos Correa and Alex Kirilloff. His return to the lineup will hopefully help the Twins start to separate themselves from the rest of the division as they only hold a 3.5-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians.
A look at Byron Buxton's MLB career so far
Byron Buxton's potential has been known throughout his baseball career. This led to the Minnesota Twins selecting him with the second-overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft from Appling County High School in Baxley, Georgia. His current teammate Carlos Correa was taken first overall by the Houston Astros.
The 2012 MLB Draft turned out to be loaded with talent as several members from the class have gone on to win World Series titles, as well as earning All-Star selections. Among those selected were the aforementioned Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton, Kevin Gausman, Max Fried, Lucas Giolito and Marcus Stroman.
Buxton has spent his entire seven-year career with the Twins, hitting 108 home runs, while also recording 278 RBIs and 83 stolen bases in 635 games. While his batting average has dipped in recent years, his career number still sits at .242.
