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Silver Slugger finalists offer sad reminder of Twins star Byron Buxton's injury luck

As expected, Buxton isn't a Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award finalist this year.
ByJackson Kruse
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Jun 28, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Byron Buxton (25) looks on against the Colorado Rockies during the fourth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Jun 28, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Byron Buxton (25) looks on against the Colorado Rockies during the fourth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

FanSided announced the 2026 Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Award finalists on Thursday morning. As expected, Byron Buxton isn't among the finalists. The Twins' star center fielder seemed on the verge of winning his second straight Silver Slugger Award after a remarkable first half, but that dream quickly fizzled after an injury-riddled second half.

It's a sad reminder of Buxton's rough injury history. The center fielder appeared in 126 games in 2025, his most since he played 140 games in 2017. He slashed .264/.327/.551 (137 wRC+) with 35 home runs and 83 RBI last year en route to winning his first career Silver Slugger Award.

This season, Buxton slashed .271/.328/.575 (147 wRC+) with 25 home runs over 75 games in the first half of the season. He appeared in just 18 games after the All-Star break due to multiple IL stints with a hip issue, hitting a poor .172/.274/.203 with no home runs. Even when he wasn't on the IL, Buxton's hip clearly bothered him significantly in the second half.

Although Buxton rarely played in the second half this year, he posted strong numbers overall, with 2.6 fWAR and a 128 wRC+. Still, it's a major disappointment that he missed nearly half the season after his strong 2025 campaign.

Buxton underwent hip surgery in September and is expected to be ready for the start of spring training. Unless he suffers another setback, Buxton will be in Minnesota's 2027 Opening Day lineup. However, the Twins brass must prepare for another long IL stint, as Buxton has proved he cannot consistently stay healthy. It's obviously not Buxton's fault, but it's an unfortunate reality of the talented veteran.

How should the Twins utilize Byron Buxton going forward?

Minnesota could use Buxton as a primary designated hitter in 2027, but that would likely be a mistake. The Twins used Buxton as a primary DH in 2023, but he still missed significant time with injuries and had a below-average season at the plate (96 wRC+). Even though he will be 33 in December, Buxton is still an elite defender and deserves to be in the field when he's healthy.

Now that Walker Jenkins has made his MLB debut, Minnesota could move Buxton to a corner outfield spot if the club's leaders believe it would lower his injury risk. There's less ground to cover in left and right field than in center field, so a defensive change could help Buxton stay healthy.

Buxton is under team control through the 2028 season and has made it clear he wouldn't waive his no-trade clause. As long as they have the star outfielder, the Twins should use him as much as possible. At the same time, the team needs to be prepared for him to spend a large chunk of the rest of his contract on the IL, given his injury history.

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