Minnesota Twins Make Byron Buxton Decision After 14 Games

The Minnesota Twins are off to a surprising 9-7 start in 2026, but one of the biggest storylines surrounding the team has been the slow beginning from Byron Buxton. The 32-year-old center fielder entered the season expected to anchor the offense, yet through 14 games he has not looked like the player Minnesota needs him to be. Buxton owns a .

182 batting average, . 258 on-base percentage, . 531 OPS, no home runs and just one RBI across his first 55 at-bats, a concerning trend for a player who is supposed to be one of the lineup’s driving forces.

The Twins announced their lineup for Sunday’s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays and Buxton was not included. Instead, James Outman drew the start in center field. It was an interesting decision, especially given that Buxton has remained healthy and has appeared in nearly every game so far.

Rubber match with Taj on the mound! 📺 https://t. co/7owDbqKlDa pic.