According to numerous reports on May 28, Buxton reportedly suffered a shoulder injury after a headfirst slide during the Red Sox series and has continued playing through the issue while Minnesota carefully manages his workload. The development helps explain why the Twins have continued to keep one of baseball's best defensive center fielders out of the field despite keeping his bat in the lineup. For Twins fans, any injury update involving Buxton is bound to raise concern.
The 32-year-old has battled a variety of injuries throughout his career, and Minnesota has often been forced to balance his impact on the field with the task of keeping him healthy for the long haul. While the Twins organization hasn't indicated that the shoulder issue is expected to require an injured list stint, questions remain about when Buxton will be able to return to center field on a daily basis.
More details on Byron Buxton’s shoulder injury.https://t.co/HoReePlplC @IBWAA https://t.co/Mdd2y26T0U
— Ted (@tlschwerz) May 28, 2026
Byron Buxton has continued producing despite mounting injuries
The encouraging news for Minnesota is that Buxton's production has not slowed down.
The shoulder soreness only became public knowledge this week, despite apparently lingering for more than a week. During that time, Buxton continued doing what he has done throughout much of the 2026 season: producing like one of the Twins' most consistent offensive players. Earlier this month, Buxton returned from a hip injury that sidelined him for five consecutive games. Since returning, he has hit .258 with three doubles, two home runs, four RBI, and five runs scored while posting an impressive .891 OPS over eight games.
Considering Buxton is batting .260 on the season, there has been little indication at the plate that he has been dealing with another physical issue behind the scenes. In many cases, fans learn about an injury after a player's performance begins to decline. With Buxton, the opposite happened. His performance never offered any clues that another injury concern had emerged. Those numbers add important context to the latest report.
The revelation also serves as a reminder of why the Twins are so careful with Buxton. Minnesota has every reason to protect one of its most important players, particularly given his history. Buxton's value extends far beyond his bat. When healthy, he remains one of the game's premier defensive center fielders and a constant threat on the bases with his elite speed. Getting him back into center field regularly is likely just as important to the Twins as keeping his bat in the lineup.
Many Twins fans were already keeping a close eye on Buxton after his recent absence with a hip flexor injury. What few realized was that Buxton was dealing with more than just the hip injury while putting together the numbers above. Had the Twins not disclosed the injury this week, most fans likely would have assumed his only health concern remained the hip injury that sidelined him earlier this month.
The shoulder soreness is certainly worth monitoring, particularly for a player with Buxton's injury history. At the same time, the fact that he has continued producing despite dealing with both hip and shoulder concerns provides reason for optimism.
Most injury updates involving Buxton have historically come with bad news. This one arrived after he had already spent more than a week continuing to produce at a high level. Good news, for now.
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