29 August 2023
Byron Buxton, a Platinum Glove outfielder who hasn’t played defense in more than a year, is scheduled to play center field for the St. Paul Saints on Wednesday, the start of a rehab assignment as he returns from a right hamstring injury.
On Tuesday afternoon, Buxton, Alex Kirilloff and Nick Gordon took live batting practice against right-hander Jorge Alcala, who hasn’t pitched since May 14 — a clean mop-up inning in a 16-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs — because of a forearm extensor muscle strain.
“I’m just happy to face batters again and I felt really good,” Alcala said through an interpreter.
Next for Alcala is another live BP session later this week in St. Paul.
Kirilloff is penciled in to be the Saints’ designated hitter in a 7:07 p.m. start against Columbus at CHS Field on Wednesday. Baldelli said he likely will play first base on Thursday before having a day off.
The plan for Buxton, on the IL since Aug. 4, is to have him play in center on Wednesday and take Thursday off.
“It’s going to be in the general range of seven innings (Wednedsay),” Baldelli said. “If it’s an inning or two less, that’s fine. I don’t know if it will be eight. Eight is kind of a number we don’t see very often, but somewhere in the range of seven innings.”
Buxton, the starting American League center fielder in last season’s all-star game, hasn’t played defense since Aug. 22, 2022, when he left a 2-1 loss to Texas at Target Field after diving for a fading liner to start the sixth inning. He spent the rest of the season on the injured list with a hip strain and a knee injury that required surgery.
The Twins have been cautious with Buxton, limiting him to DH duties in 85 games this season, although he has been on the injured list twice, the first time with a rib contusion after being hit by a pitch on June 1.
“I’m optimistic right now that he’s feeling good,” Baldelli said. “His leg, his hip, everything feels good. Right now, this is the best opportunity to do this, is what I would say. I don’t know what would have happened if we had tried to play Buck in the field in May or June when he was not as rested and probably in as good of a spot as he is now.
“Really, maybe a silver lining, obviously he goes on the IL with the (hamstring) strain, but that break in time and break in the action for him is, I think, what gives him a chance to build up to play in the outfield.”