It took until Memorial Day for Byron Buxton to raise his batting average above .200. So, naturally, he began to wonder about job security.
"Those were some tough days," Buxton said. "I can remember going home and thinking, 'Today could be the day you could get sent down.' You start thinking negatively instead of positively."
Teammates have reminded him how his elite defense in center field and blistering pace on the base paths have contributed to a 45-43 record at the All-Star break. While he has embraced that perspective, he wants to be a more complete player.
There's one thing keeping Buxton from being the impact player the Twins believed he was when they selected him with the second overall pick in 2012 draft: a .218 career batting average and 249 strikeouts in 221 games.
While Carlos Correa, Addison Russell, Corey Seager and others from that draft class have enjoyed stardom, Buxton, 23, is still trying to become the well-rounded player the Twins believe he can be. He hopes a recent change in his hitting approach will help him be more of a threat at the plate.
"The last couple of weeks I've been a little more comfortable with the swing," Buxton said. "I feel a lot more confident when I get in the box with the swing."
Defensively, Buxton has no peers. His speed and fearlessness in the outfield have bailed out the Twins pitching staff with spectacular catches while leaving dented walls throughout the league as he robs opponents of hits.
According to FanGraphs, Buxton's 17 defensive runs saved are second most of any player at any position in baseball. His defensive rating of 8.2 is 12th overall.