Byron Buxton is frustrated the Twins didn’t shut down offseason trade rumors

FORT MYERS, FLA. – Byron Buxton, speaking to reporters for the first time since the end of last season, made it clear there were a few things that upset him throughout the past offseason.

Buxton, who holds a full no-trade clause in his contract, didn’t like seeing his name floating in trade rumors.

He reiterated his loyalty to the Twins at last year’s All-Star Game — “I’m a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life,” he said — when he was asked whether he would consider a trade with the Twins falling out of playoff contention. He made the same pledge after the Twins tore down their roster at last year’s trade deadline, too.

When Buxton’s name surfaced in trade rumors after the season ended, when there were questions about whether the Twins would commit to an even deeper rebuilding phase by trading pitchers Joe Ryan and Pablo López, he felt disrespected when the Twins didn’t publicly shut down any of the speculation like he did last summer.

“All it takes is for somebody at the top to go to the media, ‘We’re not trading you,’ ” Buxton said Sunday, Feb. 15. “Trade rumors stop, and now we don’t have those conversations. That’s how simple this could get.”

Buxton remained in touch with Ryan and López for portions of the offseason. Buxton described them as “unnecessary conversations” because they were all committed to the organization, but the trade rumors gave them uncertainty about their futures.

“The offseason was different,” Buxton said. “It’s a lot of guys in here that were pulling for each other and then to have your name blasted, and you know where we want to be, you know what we’re trying to work towards, you know what we’re doing, it’s different. I will say that. It’s different.”

“I ain’t going to say that either,” he said.

The Twins have worked on mending the relationship with their longest-tenured player. Manager Derek Shelton had dinner with Buxton during the offseason in Jacksonville, Fla., a middle ground between their two offseason homes.

The two have maintained a friendship since Shelton was the Twins bench coach in 2018 and ‘19, and Buxton praised Shelton’s style of communicating with players.

“He truly wants you to get better,” Buxton said. “Not saying that the other coaches didn’t, but he tries to understand who you are, tries to come out and talk to you.”

Twins owner Tom Pohlad flew to Atlanta to visit Buxton in January, explaining his vision for the organization.

It wasn’t just the trade rumors that bothered Buxton this winter. He finished 11th in the American League Most Valuable Player voting after one of the best seasons of his career, posting an .878 OPS with 35 homers, 83 RBI, 97 runs and 24 stolen bases.

If he finished 10th in the MVP voting, one slot higher, he would have received a $3 million bonus in his contract.

“I was pissed, I ain’t going to lie to you,” Buxton said. “You feel like you did a little bit more than what you thought you could have. You surprised yourself a little bit. It was one of those where you thought you put yourself in a good position, and you didn’t, so it’s fire.”

When he started training for the season, which began a little earlier because he will play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, he used the MVP vote as a motivation.

“I actually took that, and I got a picture on my damn wall,” Buxton said. “Every day I walk in my gym, that’s what I look at.”

Those priorities were part of his conversations with Ryan and López, too.

“We talked quite a bit this offseason just because we had to,” Buxton said. “We know what we’re trying to get to. We know what we’re striving for.