Calls for Twins action on Byron Buxton after another disastrous night at the plate
The Twins gave up an early lead to lose to the Seattle Mariners on Monday night, and while there are seemingly many problems that need addressing within the organization, one that is coming increasingly under the spotlight is the form of Byron Buxton.
The 29-year-old had another disastrous outing for the Twins. Coming to the plate every time with runners on the base, Buxton went 0-5 with three strikeouts.
He is currently mired in yet another slump, hitting 0-for-21 in his past five games. In those same five games, he has struck out three times in four of them.
The low-point was arguably reached as the Twins were 5-3 down in the 7th inning of Monday's game in Seattle. Arriving with one-out and Carlos Correa on first base, Buxton took a strike looking and two swinging strikes to Matt Brash for the quick out.
At the start of the season, the Twins took the gamble of taking Buxton out of centerfield and play him as the designated hitter in an effort to prolong his fitness.
That seems to have worked, but in doing so it has arguably removed his most valuable attribute to the team, meanwhile he's taking up a DH position that could be used by others – Edouard Julien, for example – while sporting a hideous .196 average and .285 on-base percentage.
Monday's performance added to the growing calls for the Twins to take some action, whether it's moving him down the batting order, benching him with the likes of Matt Wallner waiting in the wings, or giving him a stint on the injured list if there's an ailment that's affecting his game.
Even before Monday's game, Skor North's Judd Zulgad was calling for the Twins to move Buxton out of the DH, saying: "The Twins, when Buxton played him in the outfield, the Twins couldn't wait to get him off his feet, now he's DHing they just keep him in the three-hole, in fact he's spent 34 games hitting third and right now? He feels like an automatic out."
"Edouard Julien is a classic example of a guy who should be DHing at least on occasion. He's not good in the field but he definitely has a bat that plays, and in 2023 he is an on-base machine far more than Buxton is."
We looked on Sunday at Buxton's streaky nature, but his highest highs this season have been far fewer and nowhere near as pronounced as his lowest lows.
Carlos Correa, who also struggled in the first half of the season, finally seems to be putting together a run of form since he was switched to the leadoff spot, but Buxton's struggles show no sign of arresting.
