Minnesota Twins' Key Roster Piece Makes Big Statement Ahead of 2024 Season

Minnesota Twins' centerfielder Byron Buxton says he's fully healthy heading into spring training after undergoing knee surgery in the offseason. It's a big development for the Twins if Buxton can get back to All-Star level.
Minnesota Twins' Key Roster Piece Makes Big Statement Ahead of 2024 Season
Minnesota Twins' Key Roster Piece Makes Big Statement Ahead of 2024 Season /
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Minnesota Twins' standout Byron Buxton says he is fully healthy and rid of the knee problems that have plagued him over the last few years.

He's ready for a normal spring training and is set to return to centerfield, where he starred previously before serving as a DH-only in 2023.

Per Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press:

Byron Buxton said he is fully healthy, which puts his mind at ease. He said he expects a normal build up this spring as he prepares to return to center field. 

"The pain's gone, so I'm a lot more happy. 100 percent. 100 percent. The last couple years were definitely painful."

Buxton had knee surgery in the offseason.

Again, he played nothing but designated hitter in 2023 in an effort to keep himself healthy. Unfortunately, it didn't really help, as Buxton still just played 85 games and was left off the initial Twins playoff roster.

Tantalizingly talented, injuries have always been an issue for Buxton. Since debuting in 2015, Buxton has played 100 or more games only once in his career (2017). Even in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he missed 21 of a possible 60 games.

Lifetime, he's a .239 hitter with 115 home runs. His best season from a power-standpoint came in 2022 when he hit 28 homers and made the All-Star Game for the only time.

We had heard recently that the Twins were still interested in a reunion with last year's centerfielder Michael A. Taylor, but if Buxton can hold the position down, perhaps the team won't go in that direction.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady.