The Minnesota Twins had a message for Byron Buxton after achieving a big career milestone on Sunday.
The Minnesota Twins took time to celebrate franchise superstar Byron Buxton after he reached a major career milestone on Sunday.
Buxton, now in his 12th MLB season, officially reached 10 years of service time, an achievement that underscores both longevity and resilience in a career that has seen its share of ups and downs due to injury.
“BASEBALL IS A GAME OF BUCK 🦌 Congratulations to Byron Buxton on reaching 10 years of @mlb service time!” the Twins wrote on X.
Reaching 10 years of service time is a significant accomplishment for Buxton. The feat is achieved by fewer than 10% of players. It represents a full decade spent on an active roster or injured list, and it comes with benefits such as 10-and-5 rights, though Buxton already holds a no-trade clause as part of his current contract.
What makes Buxton’s path to this milestone even more notable is how it unfolded. Despite debuting in June 2015, he only reached the 10-year mark in April 2026 due to a combination of early-career service time manipulation, injuries and occasional stints in the minor leagues. He lost significant time across multiple seasons, making this achievement even more meaningful.
Buxton remains under a seven-year, $100 million contract extension that runs through the 2028 season, and he has previously expressed a desire to spend his entire career in Minnesota. However, with the Twins reshaping much of their roster following the 2025 trade deadline, questions remain about the long-term direction of the organization.
On the field, Buxton is coming off the best season of his career in 2025. He earned his second All-Star selection, won his first Silver Slugger Award and finished 11th in American League MVP voting.
Across 126 games, he posted a .264 batting average, .327 on-base percentage and .878 OPS, along with 35 home runs, 83 RBIs and 24 stolen bases without being caught.
The 2026 season has started more slowly. Through the opening stretch, Buxton has yet to find his stride at the plate, and he dealt with a brief injury scare after being hit in the right forearm during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday. Fortunately, he avoided a serious issue and returned to the lineup for the series finale.
Even with the slow start, Buxton’s importance to the Twins remains undeniable. As both a leader and the face of the franchise, his presence continues to be a driving force for the team despite the rough start to the 2026 season.