Twins finally call up fan favorite prospect after latest Byron Buxton injury setback

There's been a lot of news about Byron Buxton over the last 24 hours, none of it particularly good. He was ejected from his rehab start on Wednesday night after a pitch clock violation, but it seems his blow up might have been about more than just frustrations with the umpire.

Buxton was in St. Paul rehabbing his injured hip, but it was revealed on Thursday that he was experiencing some discomfort in it before his ejection. That has seemingly led to a setback in his assignment, as he's no longer expected to rejoin the team for its weekend series against the Kansas City Royals.

Instead, Buxton will remain on the IL and it's now unclear when -- or if -- he'll be back this season. With fewer than 25 games left on the schedule, the timing of this setback couldn't be less convenient but it's at the very least opening the door for a long-awaited MLB debut by one of Buxton's teammates in St. Paul.

Not long after news of Buxton's setback made the rounds, it was also reported that a new locker had popped up in the Twins clubhouse. DaShawn Keirsey Jr., who has long been an under-the-radar prospect that fans have latched onto, is expected to make his MLB debut.

Keirsey isn't technically replacing Buxton, as it's an injury to Max Kepler that seems to have freed up a spot on the roste for him. Buck's setback no doubt played a role in Keirsey getting a promotion, as the Twins will now be down two outfielders and are running out of bodies at the worst possible time.

The silver lining is being able to see what Keirsey can do with his opportunity. He's one of the fastest players in baseball and has done pretty well this year at Triple-A, hitting .292/.363/.477. He's not blowing anyone away, but he's been consistent and the Twins need all the help they can get as the margins tighten on the playoff race.

Despite how brutal the team has played over the last few series, Minnesota is just 3.5 games out of first place. A weekend series with the Royals gives the Twins an opportunity to put Kansas City down and out in the division race, and hopefully gain some ground on Cleveland before a four-game series against the Guardians later this month.

Not having Buxton won't make things any easier, though. He had managed to stay healthy for most of the season, which was a wildly encouraging sign. Now his body seems to be breaking down at the worst possible time for the Twins, and the season is going to come down to young players like Keirsey being able to carry the team across the finish line.

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