Bryon Buxton's Latest IL Stint At Worst Possible Time for Minnesota Twins

Buxton's lingering right hip impingement has again sidelined the All-Star outfielder, dealing another major blow to Minnesota's fading postseason hopes.

Aug 21, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) makes a diving catch during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Twins have officially placed outfielder Byron Buxton on the 10-day IL with a right-hip impingement. Placing Buxton on the IL is not a positive development for the Twins' offense.

If the Twins' postseason chances weren't already slimly low, they just dropped into the basement because if the Twins had any chance of doing anything special in 2026, they were going to need their star outfielder to help them both offensively and defensively.

The Injury and Effects

Buxton was removed from Tuesday's game in Sacramento after aggravating his hip for the third time this season. For the five days following, the Twins waited to see if the pain subsided enough for Buxton to play through it. That was not the case.

NEWS: Byron Buxton is being removed from the game with an apparent back injury after this play:

Not good for the #MNTwins. pic.twitter.com/cQx4EG0hSH

— Matthew Nethercott (@MattNethercott_) August 26, 2026

This injury has completely derailed Buxton's season and, with how much he means to the Twins lineup, the Twins' season. Even when Buxton returned from his last IL stint, it was clear that he was simply not right at the plate.

Buxton could undergo surgery, though that has not been announced yet, with Twins GM Jeremy Zoll telling the media Friday that surgery "is definitely a potential option as we sort through everything."

The surgery could occur in the offseason, but with the calendar turning to September 1st on Tuesday, it could be best to shut down Buxton for the rest of the season and give him more time to rehab.

Losing Buxton from the Twins lineup for a more extended period of time than he's already missed is going to have very serious effects on the already middling lineup. After losing him since Tuesday, the Twins' record without Buxton in the lineup dropped to 20-25. Offensively, the team has a .699 OPS compared to a .735 with him.

Similarly to the offenses' issues with hitting opponents' bullpens, the team's slugging percentage drops from .412 with him in the lineup to .391 without him. That indicates a big power outage without Buxton, and that could affect consistency in scoring down the strech.

The Corresponding Move

Feb 19, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Gabriel Gonzalez (72) poses during photo day at Hammond Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Twins have recalled outfielder Gabriel (Gabby) Gonzalez from AAA St. Paul. This season in AAA, Gonzalez is hitting .254 with a .741 OPS. It's unclear how much playing time Gonzalez will get at the MLB level with Walker Jenkins getting everyday reps, but with rosters expanding, there is a decent chance that Gonzalez could see some solid playing time. In two at-bats with the Twins this season, Gonzalez is hitting .500 (1-2).