Byron Buxton quickly pulled himself from the Minnesota Twins game on Monday night. After a strikeout in the fifth inning he quickly went to the clubhouse. Reportedly dealing with hip discomfort, the expectation is that this shouldn’t be a length absence.
Byron Buxton placed on Minnesota Twins injured list
Rocco Baldelli’s club played without Byron Buxton in either Tuesday or Wednesday’s tilts against the Kansas City Royals. He didn’t make the trip to Texas, but there was hope he could avoid the injury list. After receiving a clean MRI and a cortisone shot , time ran out for the Twins centerfield. Rocco Baldelli told Dan Hayes of The Athletic that it was close. The Twins simply couldn’t play short going forward.
“We were trying to actually keep him active and that’s why he didn’t go on the IL (Wednesday) and that’s why even with him not traveling with the team, we still waited. We wanted to see how he was this morning. We wanted to get probably what you would say is the most up-to-date information that we could get and wait as long as we could before making the decision.”
Rocco Baldelli on the Twins decision to IL Byron Buxton
Once it was determined that Buxton would need a few more days, the decision was made. Minnesota can backdate Buxton’s injured list date to Tuesday August 13th.
Related: Byron Buxton is Heating Up, Don’t Let Him Catch Fire
That means he will again be available next weekend against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Twins think it will be short term for Byron Buxton
After waiting until the last possible moment to put him on the injured list, it’s clear that optimism is present for the Twins and Buxton. He probably wouldn’t have played into the weekend, but the thought would be that early next week seemed realistic. Instead he now must miss a minimum of ten days. Despite having been on the injured list with hip issues in 2021 and 2022, the belief is that 2024 will be different.
“I don’t think, based on everything I know and everything that the medical staff thinks, that it will be much longer than the minimum stay, but we have to get through the next few days.”
Rocco Baldelli to The Athletic on Buxton’s presumed IL duration
Minnesota has been in this position previously and the Twins public statements often serve hollow. Joe Ryan was dealing with a triceps injury that evoked optimism. He is out for the season. Brock Stewart went on the injured list with minor shoulder tendonitis. He had surgery and is out for the season. Carlos Correa was dealing with a minor bout of plantar fasciitis. He has been out a month, has no shoes , and an indefinite timetable.
Related: Twins, Carlos Correa Clearly Learned a Valuable Lesson Last Season
The self reporting track record for the Twins isn’t worth of optimism on its own. That said, Buxton and Baldelli clearly we’re hoping he could get back quick due to the IL delay. With the cortisone shot getting time to settle, next weekend feels plausible. The effectiveness of that shot, and the ache in the hip, will determine the next path forward though.
Buxton has been here before with hip issues, and the knee causing those issues isn’t getting younger either.
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