If Byron Buxton can play for Twins, he will be playing in center field

Byron Buxton was ineffective at the plate as the Twins’ most frequent designated hitter in 2023, causing demands in all public outlets from team followers that he return to center field.

Through this ongoing brouhaha, manager Rocco Baldelli and others were forced to respond that the chronic injury to his right knee was not going to permit that. Thus, for four months, as strikeouts mounted and Buxton battled to get his average above .200, he did not play in the field.

Buxton played his last of 85 regular-season games on Aug. 1. The official injury was a hamstring pull. He went to St. Paul on Aug. 30 and played a half-game in center field, without his mobility being tested.

Obviously, there was a conclusion reached between baseball boss Derek Falvey and Buxton this offseason that the only way for him to be an asset was to give it a try again in center field.

There was a new knee procedure in the offseason that made this possible — something about flaps of skin affecting the patella being removed. He returned to center field in spring training and has given it a big effort. He started 20 of the Twins’ first 30 games and played in 24 in center field.

He made a memorable diving catch. He made a few excellent running catches in the gaps. Maybe not the pure platinum of Buxton’s past, but far superior to Baldelli’s other options.

Willi Castro demonstrated that in a win in Chicago on Tuesday, when he helped fuel a White Sox rally by taking a bad route on a ball hit toward left-center. Buxton would have put it in his pocket.

One afternoon later, he was back in center, covering ground, then running repeatedly from first base to second on foul balls, and then walked slowly off the field.

The barking knee was back. The Twins placed him on the 10-day injured list Friday. The official reason given was inflammation in the right knee.

The Twins were back in Target Field later and used an outstanding start from Chris Paddack to beat Boston 5-2. In the process, the Twins pushed the winning streak to 11 games and pinned a loss on Tanner Houck, entering with a 1.60 ERA in six previous starts.

Castro was in center field again and he did stay hot with the bat, doubling and scoring the game’s first run in third. He’s had one or more hits in nine straight games and 14 of 15. Put him together with rookie Austin Martin and the Twins will survive in center field until Buxton returns.

That’s the optimistic view — that he’ll be back out there later this month.

Baldelli was asked for his assessment before Friday’s game and said:

“Well, [Buxton] gave us everything he has, like he always does. I think he’s been in a good spot physically. I don’t think he’s been close to 100 percent, but that’s really not the question at this point.

“I think he’s pushed through on certain days … to work and grind his way through games. He’s helped us get this season rolling and start playing some really good baseball.”

Despite the months and seasons on the injured list, Baldelli said Buxton’s first instinct when he comes in from the field slowed, and when he’s in the clubhouse afterwards, is to say that he’s good.

“He has been really good in center field and I feel like he’s been on the edge offensively of really finding what he’s looking for,” Baldelli said. “When he can’t say, ‘I’m good,’ it hurts him and we reached that point in the last game … He was obviously not good at the moment.”

The Twins took another injury hit when Brock Stewart and his high-90s fastball also went on the injured list, just as was the case when he was rolling along in 2023.

Injuries have become an epidemic in the opening weeks — most dramatically with pitchers, but also position players. The Red Sox are currently without half of their lineup.

A rowdy Friday night crowd announced at 24,488 seemed to enjoy the entire night, despite the missing. No Byron, no Brock, but they were able to greet Jhoan Duran with the light show before collecting a save at home for the first time in 2024.