It's no secret that Byron Buxton struggles to stay on the field. Since the start of the 2018 season, Buxton has appeared in just 713 games over nine seasons. Granted, one of those seasons was only 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but 713 games still isn't many for nearly a decade of seasons.
The Twins signed Buxton to a seven-year, $100 million extension after the 2021 season. It's a small price to pay for a player as talented as Buxton, and the Twins were able to sign him to such a favorable contract because of his injury history and loyalty to the organization.
In the five seasons since signing the extension, Buxton has appeared in 498 games. Because Buxton has been injured so often since signing the $100 million deal, many might jump to the conclusion that he hasn't lived up to his contract so far. But a closer look at the numbers shows Buxton has been worth every penny.
Why Twins CF Byron Buxton has been worth $100 million contract
FanGraphs uses WAR to determine players' value in dollars. Since the start of the 2022 season, Buxton has been worth $122.3 million with 15.2 WAR, meaning his $100 million extension has already paid off for the Twins. Buxton is under team control for two more seasons, so he could easily increase that dollar value further before his current contract ends.
Obviously, the ultimate goal is to win a World Series, so in that aspect, the deal hasn't worked out so far. If Buxton had been healthier since making his MLB debut through 2026, maybe Minnesota would've made a deeper postseason run by now. But the numbers show that even though he is injured frequently, Buxton isn't the reason the Twins haven't reached the ultimate goal with the star center fielder.
Buxton's latest injury setback derailed his 2026 season. He made the American League All-Star Team and hit 25 homers in the first half before playing only 18 games in the second half because of a hip issue that required three separate IL stints. Buxton underwent hip surgery in September and is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.
If he's healthy, Buxton will be in Minnesota's 2027 Opening Day lineup, as the star outfielder has made it clear he wouldn't waive his no-trade clause. He will most likely be the team's starting center fielder, as he is still an elite defender. However, the Twins might consider moving him to a corner outfield spot now that top center field prospect Walker Jenkins has made his MLB debut.
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