The Twins are still making a bid for October.
The Minnesota Twins have had a disappointing 2026 MLB season, but because the American League Central division is so mediocre, Minnesota is still alive in the postseason picture. Entering Friday’s weekend series against the Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota is currently third in the division, trailing Cleveland by four games in the loss column and trailing the first-place Chicago White Sox by six games in the loss column.
Looking at the Wild Card picture, Minnesota is still in the mix there as well, chasing the same Guardians who occupy that third and final spot. With a three-game series against Cleveland, Minnesota may be staring at its last chance to make a serious bid for October. But unfortunately, it will come without superstar outfielder Byron Buxton, who has been shut down for the year due to hip surgery.
Last week, there had been some hope that Buxton could potentially return at some point this season, but that obviously will not be happening. Injuries have been the story of Buxton’s career, as he has been one of the best all-around outfielders in the game when healthy, but has struggled to stay on the field. In between 2018 and 2023, Buxton did not appear in 100 games once. Then in 2024 he played 102 games, and followed that with 126 the next year, which was the first time in his professional career he appeared in at least 100 games in consecutive seasons. Looking to make it three straight, Buxton was unable to do that this year, as this season ends with 93 games played.
It was a productive year for Buxton, who posted a 129 OPS+, hitting 25 home runs, driving in 46 runs, and making his third career All-Star appearance. But unfortunately for him and the Twins, it ends the same way many of his past seasons have, with an injury that not only ends this season, but raises questions about the level he will be able to return to in the future.
Even without Buxton, the Twins have some exciting young players who are putting together strong seasons. The team has been led offensively by Kody Clemens, the son of Hall of Fame pitcher Roger Clemens, who despite being 30 years old is in just his second season as a regular contributor at the big league level. He broke in in 2022 with the Detroit Tigers, appearing in 56 games, but then appeared in just 47 games the next year and 43 games the year after that before finally getting an opportunity to play more consistently in 2025. Clemens' 26 home runs lead the Twins, one more than the 25 that Buxton hit, and after that it is switch-hitting infielder Brooks Lee with 23 homers, as he has put together a very strong season at just 25 years of age.
While the Twins will miss Buxton, they still have an opportunity to make a real bid for a spot in October, and it starts with game one against Cleveland on Friday.
