New contract has Twins center fielder Byron Buxton relaxed as spring training begins

FORT MYERS, FLA. – In the midst of a Twins roster shuffle, with players coming and going at any moment, there might be only one person in the Twins' clubhouse who is feeling completely secure: Byron Buxton.

That's what a seven-year, $100 million contract signed ahead of the lockout will do for a guy.

"It's definitely not stressful," Buxton said Monday ahead of the Twins' first official practice of spring training. "I know I'm going to be in Minnesota for seven years. For me, [my focus is] getting a ring. I've got seven years to try to bring as many as I can."

On the grand scheme, that is a heavy lift. But at least in the short term, Buxton can put all his energy into preparing for this season instead of wondering what trade might be coming next. For example, he was asleep Sunday evening when the Twins sent Josh Donaldson, Ben Rortvedt and Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the Yankees for Gary Sanchez and Gio Urshela.

Losing players like Donaldson and Mitch Garver, traded to Texas on Saturday, means a loss of some of the Twins' vocal leaders, according to Buxton. And while his big contract has certainly made him the face of the team, Buxton said he still prefers to hang back a bit when it comes to new names on the roster.

"I feel them out a little bit. Let them get situated and then I go introduce," Buxton said. "It's more about once you introduce yourself, just kind of letting them be, and if they need your help, they'll come ask."

The center fielder isn't planning on easing into spring training, though. He was all amped up to start in February as usual and found himself having to "de-load" from all that anticipation when he realized the lockout wasn't ending on time.

"You get yourself so wound up for spring training and then every day, there was a meeting, and wham, nothing happens. I was like, 'All right, I've got to figure out something else to do,'" Buxton said, adding the most baseball he did in those couple weeks was playing catch with his son. "Once things really heated back up, about two weeks before, I really got back in the groove, and that's kind of how things stayed."

The other big hallmark of Buxton's offseason was his nutrition, which he's hopeful will help him fend off injuries that have plagued him his entire career. His diet focuses on cutting down inflammation and soreness. He hasn't gone vegan or keto, though he joked sometimes it can feel restrictive like that. He just has to be more selective with what he puts in his body

Even with his beloved Skittles.

"Fun-sized packs," Buxton said. "… Can't have the big ones. But I take what I can. Skittles and fruit snacks. That's what I've got."