How Twins are approaching returns of Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton

Both Correa and Buxton are out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Reds.

Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton (25) celebrates with shortstop Carlos Correa (4) after scoring against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago on April 30, 2024. / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Twins featured Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis in the same lineup Saturday night for the first time since July 2. But it won’t be two days in a row that the band is all back together as Correa and Buxton are out of the lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Cincinnati Reds.

That’s all part of a delicate balance the Twins are taking with two players who aren’t yet at 100%. Correa’s heel still isn’t quite right after a 51-game absence due to right plantar fasciitis, and Buxton is still experiencing some hip soreness. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said neither will play every day, leading to rest days like Sunday with the Twins having just one off day left in the regular season.

“We got to get them ready for what’s to come,” Baldelli said. 

While both Correa and Buxton are out of the lineup Sunday, they both are available to come off the bench and hit in Sunday's series finale, and Baldelli said "there's more than kind of a light chance" that they do. But the Twins have a crucial upcoming series at the division-leading Cleveland Guardians beginning Monday before they travel to take on the Boston Red Sox. Then they'll return home to close the season with series against the Miami Marlins and Baltimore Orioles.

The Twins will need Correa and Buxton down the stretch.

Baldelli said the Twins have a plan of how to approach their returns, but it’s a plan that’s in flux and changing depending on the circumstances. Buxton, for example, wasn’t supposed to play in Saturday’s game against the Reds. They don’t intend to stagger their play so that Buxton can play one day and Correa another because Baldelli isn’t sure they can stick to the same schedule.

“We just brought them back the earliest we reasonably could bring them back, when it made sense, when they could help us and when they can actually play, we brought them back, and now we just have to make that work,” Baldelli said. “We’re not going to sit guys purposely to stagger days, I will say that, so there might be days where they’re both playing, there might be days where neither is playing, they’re going to play as much as they can is what I would say.” 

Sunday is one of those days where they’re both out of the lineup. It’ll be a delicate approach to keep them ready and healthy as the season winds down, but both have already shown the impact they make when on the field in limited action back. Buxton homered in his first game back Friday and drove in the Twins’ only run in his second game back on Saturday. Correa rifled a throw to first to turn a double play and doubled in his first game back on Saturday, too. The Twins are better when they’re on the field, and that’s where they’ll be as much as they possibly can. 

“This isn’t like a 100%-type conversation,” Baldelli said. “… Like if they can play, they will play.”