It was only a few weeks ago that Byron Buxton took centerfield for the first time in 554 days, and he's wasted absolutely no time in bouncing back.
Buxton went bonkers on Saturday, tattooing the New York Yankees with a pair of triples and a home run. While it's only Spring Training and overreactions tend to come back and bite folks later in the year, watching Buxton do what he did feels like it's exempt from getting Too Excited about.
Not only did Buxton look incredible at the plate against Nestor Cortes, hitting a solo home run in his first at-bat and launching a bases clearing triple in his second. Cortes was still on the mound when Buxton came up in the fourth innning and hit what looked to be one of the most casual triples ever hit.
Off to the races!!! pic.twitter.com/TfIIuyvGqV
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) March 9, 2024
Needless to say, watching Buxton do what he did on Saturday excited Twins fans in a way we haven't seen in quite some time. Injuries have bogged the All-Star down, with last year being one of the lowest points of his career, and to see him firing this hot this early is truly a sight for sore eyes.
Twins fans celebrated Byron Buxton's massive day against the Yankees
Next to Disney World, Twins Twitter is the most magical place on earth and that goes double when something like what Buxton did on Saturday happens.
HONK HONK BABY pic.twitter.com/L02JUnvaoD
— commissioner shayla (byron buxton enthusiast) (@shaylarz) March 9, 2024
Byron Buxton catching baseballs in center field, hitting triples, and ripping bombs all in one day pic.twitter.com/50YNLk24Ab
— Tony #BuiltForOctober (@PrimeJenkins) March 9, 2024
Waiting on the Buxton homerun video like it’s definitive proof that aliens exist. #MNTwins
— Tyler the Twins Guy (@tjhartmanmusic) March 9, 2024
BYRON BUXTON HOME RUN ALERT 🚨 pic.twitter.com/AEicBPldve
— Puckett's Pond (@PuckettsPond) March 9, 2024
god I love byron buxton
— rach (pablo’s bff) ✨ (@mntwinsrachel) March 9, 2024
Byron Buxton 😭 pic.twitter.com/bRZkFz1GYa
— Kev (@VikesFanKev) March 9, 2024
Won’t lie forgot how cool buxton is https://t.co/syncSMR1ME
— Thomas Gordon (@tg2____) March 9, 2024
Before he took the field back at the end of Feburary, we hadn't seen Buxton play anywhere other than DH since 2022. That's been a massive asterik next to all of his promise, as he's the defintion of a player who can be an MVP candidate with the caveat that he stays healthy.
Buxton hasn't been able to consistently do that, but this season already feels like it might be different. He teased being at full-strength back at TwinsFest and fired off some quotes that no doubt have gotten fans exicted.
It's one thing to say he's back, but to have him back it up the way he did on Saturday suggests we're in for a tremendous bounce-back season for Buxton.