Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton has had an impressive 2026 season.
Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton has by far been the best player on the team this year once again. Now in his 12th MLB season, he has turned a corner from a health standpoint.
He is on pace to play over 100 games this season, and if he does, it would mark the third straight year of him doing so. That is a huge accomplishment considering he had done it just once prior to 2024.
Buxton has dealt with a couple of minor injuries this year that have limited his time in center field, but he has been mostly available, which has been huge for the Twins. Minnesota sits just four games under .500 at 38-42 entering Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers and would undoubtedly be a lot worse without him.
During Monday's series opener against Los Angeles, Buxton crushed a home run in the bottom of the first inning off Dodgers right-hander Will Klein, marking his 25th of the season.
The long ball tied him with Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez for the American League lead in home runs. It also carried historical significance.
"Byron Buxton became the 2nd player in Twins history to hit 25 HR before the All-Star break. Hall-of-Famer Harmon Killebrew did it five times," ESPN Insights wrote on X.
While Buxton may not be on a Hall of Fame path like Killebrew, being just the second player in franchise history to reach 25 home runs before the All-Star break is a huge accomplishment.
Aside from his raw power numbers, Buxton is hitting .275 with a .333 on-base percentage and .930 OPS, making him one of the best all-around hitters in the entire league. He is on his way toward earning his second straight All-Star selection and, if he stays healthy, potentially a second straight Silver Slugger award as well.
Buxton has made it clear that he wants to stay in Minnesota regardless of how the team is performing. Given the player he is and the extremely team-friendly contract he is on, getting paid just about $15 million this season, he could net the Twins multiple top prospects if he were willing to waive his no-trade clause.
He is not, though, and that decision says everything about where his priorities lie. Minnesota is fortunate to have him, and as long as he stays healthy, fans will always have a reason to tune in.
