Byron Buxton leaves Twins' victory in Boston because of right knee soreness

BOSTON — Byron Buxton appeared in his 500th game with the Twins on Friday. Perhaps out of habit, the Twins fear it might be awhile before he plays his 501st.

Buxton suffered a leg injury while sliding into second base during the first inning of the Twins' 8-4 victory over the Red Sox, slapped the ground in frustration and immediately walked off the field and into the clubhouse. Buxton was experiencing soreness in his right knee, the Twins announced, but was walking around the clubhouse during the game, a hopeful sign. He left Fenway Park to undergo a magnetic resonance imaging test at a nearby hospital and did not return.

"Obviously, he was feeling some real discomfort. He plays through a lot. He's a tough guy and he always wants to be on the field," said Twins manager Rocco Baldelli, who had not heard the results of the MRI or any further prognosis. "In this instance, he knew it was not going to be something he was going to play [through] today."

The injury occurred after Buxton hit a high popup to shallow left-center, where the winds fooled shortstop Xander Bogaerts and left fielder Alex Verdugo. The ball fell between the fielders, and Buxton, rounding first at the time, suddenly sped up and raced to second base ahead of a throw from Verdugo.

But Buxton slid awkwardly, feet-first, into the bag, and it appeared his leg was caught underneath him as he slid. The 28-year-old center fielder got to his feet quickly and walked to the Twins dugout, holding his helmet in front of his face to mask his emotions as Baldelli, third base coach Tommy Watkins and athletic trainer Michael Salazar ran toward him.

"He looked upset," Baldelli said. "I was actually looking at the ball. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him maybe slide or have some sort of odd-looking play at second base, but as soon as he slammed the ground and got up, you knew there was something going on."

Buxton, who has three doubles and three home runs in the Twins' first seven games, was removed from the game, with Nick Gordon taking his place as a pinch runner. The incident was reminiscent of the hamstring injury Josh Donaldson suffered in the first inning of the Twins' 2021 season opener in Milwaukee.

"I'm really sad because I don't want to see my boy get an injury," said teammate Miguel Sano, who came up through the Twins' minor leagues with Buxton. "Buck is one of the best players we have on the team. When that guy's on the field, everything is different for us."

Staying on the field has been a career-long problem, though.

The Platinum Glove-winning outfielder, who in December signed a seven-year, $100 million contract, has been placed on the injured list 12 times by the Twins in his eight-year career, plus four other times while in the minor leagues, with conditions ranging from migraines to a torn labrum.

Last season Buxton missed five weeks after suffering a strained right hip in early May, and more than two months after fracturing his left hand. He played a total of only 61 of the Twins' 162 games. Since staying healthy enough to appear in 140 games in 2017, Buxton has appeared in only 222 of a possible 553 games.

Baldelli, however, said it's too early to know whether Buxton will need another stint on the injured list.

"We're not going to go there yet," Baldelli said, especially because by adding Kyle Garlick on Friday morning, the Twins have five other outfielders available, counting utility man Gordon. "We're going to wait and see what we find out, take a deep breath, see where we're at and then make a call."

Until then? The Twins are trying not to let Buxton's injury deflate them just a week into the season.

"I haven't heard anything, but next guy up," Twins pitcher Joe Ryan said. "You've got to keep winning and keep going. Even he said the same thing."