The timing couldn’t be worse. Byron Buxton was voted an All-Star starter for just the third time in his career. Now he won’t get to play in the game at all.
The Minnesota Twins placed the 32-year-old outfielder on the 10-day injured list Sunday night after he aggravated his right hip injury during a stolen base attempt. According to Bobby Nightengale Jr. of The Minnesota Star Tribune, Buxton will miss at least the six games before the All-Star break, ruling him out of the Midsummer Classic entirely.
Buxton hurt himself in the first inning of Minnesota’s 6-1 win over the New York Yankees on July 5. He was running for second when the hip gave out, and he had to leave the game immediately. The Twins announced the IL move a few hours later.
A familiar spot for Buxton
The injured list is nothing new for Buxton. Since he debuted in 2015, injuries have been the main story of his career. He’s only played more than 100 games in a season three times total. Two of those came in the last two years — 2024 and 2025 — which made it feel like he might finally be turning the corner on his health issues.
But this season has been a reminder of how fragile that progress can be. Buxton had appeared in 75 of the Twins’ 86 games and was hitting .271 with a .328 on-base percentage. He had 83 hits, 25 home runs, and 45 RBIs when the hip acted up. Those numbers earned him the starting nod in the All-Star Game, his third career selection.
Now he’ll watch from home.
The Twins haven’t given a firm timeline for his return, but the All-Star break gives him some extra recovery days. Best-case scenario, he’s back on the field shortly after the break ends.
For a team fighting for position in the AL Central, losing Buxton for any stretch is a real problem. He’s been their most consistent power threat and a center fielder who can change a game with his glove. The Twins will need to find production from somewhere else until he’s healthy enough to run again.
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