Byron Buxton
30-Year-Old
Day-To-Day
Injury Back
2023 Stats
AVG
.207
HR
17
RBI
42
R
49
SB
9
2024 Projections
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Buxton had yet another injury-plagued season, but his decline at the plate and inability to play in the field at all has put his future role with the Twins in doubt. Buxton underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in late September 2022 and didn't play in games until late in spring training. The Twins then announced he would only be used as DH to begin the season. Despite flashes of power at the plate, Buxton underwhelmed by hitting .207/.294/.438 and missing time with calf, knee, back and rib issues (landing on the injured list after getting hit by a pitch). Buxton's knee issue never improved, and he never played in the field outside of one rehab game in the minors. He then landed on the injured list in early August with a hamstring strain and only returned for one plate appearance in the playoffs. After the season, Buxton had surgery on his knee to clean up scarring from his 2022 surgery that led to irritation. He's expected to be ready for the start of spring training but it's now a legitimate question whether he'll ever return to his defensive prowess in center field. In the third season of a 10-year, $100 million contract, the Twins will continue to try to find a way to keep him in the lineup. Read Past Outlooks
Back injury considered minor
Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said Monday that Buxton's back injury is minor and the outfielder is expected to return to the lineup soon, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
ANALYSIS
Buxton was a late scratch from Monday's lineup, but it sounds like the club is just being cautious. The Twins are off Tuesday, but it sounds like Buxton could return as soon as Wednesday. He's 8-for-24 with one home run and two triples at the plate so far this spring.
Buxton was a late scratch from Monday's lineup, but it sounds like the club is just being cautious. The Twins are off Tuesday, but it sounds like Buxton could return as soon as Wednesday. He's 8-for-24 with one home run and two triples at the plate so far this spring.
Batting Stats
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2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2023 MLB Game Log
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Minor League Game Log
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Batting Order Slot Breakdown
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
8
3
23
20
1
4
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
5
1
13
2
Left/Right Batting Splits
Since 2021
+2%
OPS vs LHP
2023
+22%
OPS vs RHP
OPS | PA | HR | RBI | AVG | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2021vs Left | .854 | 290 | 18 | 30 | .253 | ||||
Since 2021vs Right | .839 | 693 | 46 | 95 | .235 | ||||
2023vs Left | .627 | 90 | 3 | 9 | .179 | ||||
2023vs Right | .768 | 257 | 14 | 33 | .217 | ||||
2022vs Left | .917 | 114 | 10 | 15 | .252 | ||||
2022vs Right | .796 | 268 | 18 | 36 | .211 | ||||
2021vs Left | .997 | 86 | 5 | 6 | .325 | ||||
2021vs Right | 1.009 | 168 | 14 | 26 | .297 | ||||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Home/Away Batting Splits
Since 2021
+1%
OPS at Home
2023
+17%
OPS at Home
OPS | PA | HR | RBI | AVG | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Since 2021Home | .848 | 520 | 38 | 72 | .236 | ||||
Since 2021Away | .838 | 463 | 26 | 53 | .245 | ||||
2023Home | .786 | 179 | 14 | 29 | .216 | ||||
2023Away | .669 | 168 | 3 | 13 | .197 | ||||
2022Home | .865 | 203 | 15 | 27 | .228 | ||||
2022Away | .796 | 179 | 13 | 24 | .219 | ||||
2021Home | .904 | 138 | 9 | 16 | .274 | ||||
2021Away | 1.118 | 116 | 10 | 16 | .342 | ||||
More Splits→ | View More Split Stats |
Stat Review
How does Byron Buxton compare to other hitters?
This section compares his stats with all batting seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 400 plate appearances)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.
* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
* Exit Velocity and Barrels/PA % are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 400 PA) and Hard Hit Rate is benchmarked against last season's data (min 400 PA). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
BB/K
0.32BB Rate
10.1%K Rate
31.4%BABIP
.253ISO
.230AVG
.207OBP
.294SLG
.438OPS
.731wOBA
.317Exit Velocity
91.5 mphHard Hit Rate
33.5%Barrels/PA
8.4%Expected BA
.212Expected SLG
.425Sprint Speed
23.6 ft/secGround Ball %
31.7%Line Drive %
14.1%Fly Ball %
54.3%Advanced Batting Stats
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Additional Stats
Games By Position
Defensive Stats
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Batted Ball Stats
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Stats Vs Upcoming Pitchers
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
When Buxton is on the field, he's one of the best players in baseball. Alas, he hasn't played more than 100 games since 2017. Buxton hit a career-high 28 home runs in just 92 games (and his second best 382 PA) with a .832 OPS and was the starting center fielder for the AL All Star team. Buxton hurt his knee in Minnesota's 7th game of the season which caused severe tendinitis. He avoided the injured list for the injury but the Twins rested him frequently with a pattern of playing in center field, DH and then a day off every three games. He then suffered a hip strain Aug. 23 which landed him on the injured list and he was shut down for the season once the Twins fell out of the playoff race. He had offseason surgery on the knee and is expected to be ready for spring training. Buxton can strike out too frequently (30.4% last season) but has elite power and bat speed. He ranked 11th in MLB in Barrel rate and 7th in average Exit Velocity (both per Baseball Savant). Buxton may be the fastest player in MLB, which results in supreme efficiency on the base paths, but the Twins limit his opportunities for both strategy (the Twins were last in SB attempts) and health concerns. Buxton has 40-30 potential if he has a full healthy season, but Minnesota's strategy of frequently resting him last year could cap his fantasy upside if that becomes the norm.
More Fantasy News
Scratched with back tightness
Buxton was scratched from the lineup for Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Red Sox due to low-back tightness on his right side, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
ANALYSIS
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Makes another start in center field
Buxton started in center field and went 0-for-2 with a walk in Friday's Grapefruit League win over Boston.
ANALYSIS
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Starting in center field Tuesday
Buxton is starting in center field and batting second for the Twins in Tuesday's Grapefruit League contest versus the Phillies, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Thinks he can steal 30 bases
Buxton told reporters Monday that he thinks he can steal 30 bases this season, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Fully healthy entering spring camp
Buxton (knee) said Saturday that he is "100 percent" healthy and expects to have a normal buildup during spring training, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.
ANALYSIS
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