Twins slugger announces major change for the coming season

Byron Buxton is ready to turn back the clock a bit.

The Minnesota Twins veteran Buxton appeared over the weekend at TwinsFest, the annual event for fans of the team. Buxton thrilled those in attendance with his response when asked if he would be playing center field for Minnesota this coming season.

“Oh yeah, I’m back,” replied Buxton, per Dan Hayes of MLB.com.

That is a big change from last season for former All-Star Buxton. In order to limit the wear and tear on his body, he served as a full-time designated hitter for the Twins in 2023, though he only hit .207 with 17 homers and 42 RBIs while being limited to just 85 games with hamstring and knee issues.

There is obvious risk with the oft-injured Buxton returning to his natural position of center field, where he won a Gold Glove Award in 2017 but has not played full-time since the 2021 season. Buxton is 30 years old now and has only appeared in 100 or more games once in his nine-year career.

But Buxton can play center field well  when healthy – as his highlight reel demonstrates – and it sounds like the Twins will let him do so again in 2024 if he is up to it.