Byron Buxton makes it to 100-game milestone for first time since 2017

It's just the second time in Buxton's career that he's hit the 100-game mark.

Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth inning at Target Field in Minneapolis on Sept. 13, 2024. / Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

When Byron Buxton takes the field for Wednesday night’s game against the Miami Marlins at Target Field in Minneapolis, it’ll just be the second time in his career that the Minnesota Twins center fielder has played 100 games in a regular season, a milestone that isn’t without some meaning to him.

It’s a milestone that Buxton’s family understands the importance of, too. He first realized that Wednesday was the day he'd hit 100 games when his wife, Lindsey, told him. Buxton is set to play center field and bat fifth in the lineup Wednesday night against the Marlins.

“To get triple digits is, I think, something not just myself, but my family feels as well,” he said. 

It’s the first time Buxton has played 100 games in a season since 2017, when he played 140. He played 85 last season and got as high as 92 in 2022, but hadn’t been able to eclipse triple digits. 

And Buxton hasn't just been available this season, he's been productive. In the 99 games entering Wednesday's matchup, Buxton was slashing .276/.518/.853 with 17 homers and 54 RBIs.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said the milestone is a culmination of a few things: Buxton’s desire to play and compete and the training staff’s plan for and attention to managing his health. While Buxton did miss more of an extended stretch in the second half, that didn't stop him from reaching 100.

“He’s worked very hard. He is a tough dude, and he has put a lot into taking the field as much as he possibly can this year,” Baldelli said of Buxton. “… Buck doesn’t need to be motivated. He’s not a player that needs to be pushed to get out there on the field. More times than not, you have to pull him back off the field from playing flat-out injured sometimes. So he does his part with the work he puts in and his desire to play every single day.”

That work and desire has ultimately culminated in 100 games, a not insignificant feat.