Byron Buxton return imminent; what about Carlos Correa, Brooks Lee?

Updates on the Twins injury front.

Jul 7, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Byron Buxton (25) and shortstop Carlos Correa (4) watch play in the bottom of the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports / Matt Blewett-USA TODAY Sports

How much longer before Carlos Correa returns to the lineup for the Twins? It's been six weeks since pain in his right heel revealed plantar fasciitis and the star shortstop hasn't played since — and the Twins have been mum on his status.

According to KSTP's Darren Wolfson, Correa did some testing on Thursday and there's a chance the Twins send him to Triple-A St. Paul for a rehab assignment in the near future.

"Its not going to be 100% the rest of this year. He's going to have to fight through," Wolfson said of Correa's painful heel during a chat on SKOR North. "It sure would be nice to get him in a Saints game this weekend while the Saints here are in town. I don't know if that's going to happen, but he's going to have to play through pain."

It's unclear how Thursday's testing went for Correa, but Twins head trainer Nick Paparesta said Aug. 20 that Correa was still feeling discomfort when running and that he still hadn't attempted to run the bases.

"When a guy goes out today and runs and when he states that, 'Hey, it felt better than it did when we ran two days ago,' for me, that's always a good sign," Paparesta told reporters Aug. 20. "It's just whether or not how he's going to be on the baseline when he comes back the next day. As cliché as it sounds, it's truly day to day on how he's going to do and what we can do with him."

Correa was on fire at the plate before the injury sidelined him in San Francisco on July 12.

Meanwhile, Byron Buxton is eligible to come off the injured list (right hip inflammation) Friday and there is a chance he's activated in time for the series opener against the Cardinals. Wolfson said Buxton's return should come "very soon" and that a delay isn't expected.

Rookie shortstop Brooks Lee (right biceps tendinitis) could also be back before the end of the month. Wolfson read a text from a source on Lee that said: "He's feeling much better. Just started swinging from both sides. Throwing short distances. Timeline TBD."

Getting Buxton, Correa and Lee back for the stretch run in September could be huge as the Twins are tied with the Royals for second place in the AL Central, just two games behind the Guardians.

"Buck is top of the list, then I'd like to think it's Correa next just because he's going to have to play through the pain, and then maybe Brooks after that," Wolfson said. "Who knows, Brooks could be two on that list."