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Minnesota Twins All-Star Going on Injured List
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- Minnesota Twins All-Star Going on Injured List
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Minnesota Twins are back in town for a pivotal final stretch ahead of the All-Star Break. Cleveland comes to town on Tuesday night , and then baseball's worst team, the Los Angeles Angels are here over the weekend.
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Derek Shelton's team had an off day on Monday after taking the series in New York against the Yankees . That also provided another day to assess Byron Buxton , who left Sunday's game after a stolen base attempt.
Unfortunately for the Twins and Buxton, his hip isn't in a position to remain active , and he's landed on the injured list.
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Byron Buxton placed on MN Twins IL
Given the frequency with which Byron Buxton winds up injured from hitting the ground, asking him to steal bases just isn't a good practice. He was thrown out doing so on Sunday, and aggravated the hip issue that had forced him to miss five games earlier this season. This time he'll be shelved through the All-Star Break.
Byron Buxton (hip) is going on the injured list and the Twins are calling up Alan Roden from Triple-A St. Paul to replace him on the roster.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) July 7, 2026
The news is especially disappointing for Buxton, as he had just been voted to start in the All-Star Game for the first time in his career. Now on the shelf, the American League will need to name a replacement, and Joe Ryan will head to Philadelphia on his own (unless you count Shelton, who will be on the coaching staff ).
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Buxton has played in 75 of the MN Twins first 91 games this season. That puts him on track to appear in 133 games, just ahead of the 126 from last season.
As has always been the case with Buxton, he's an incredible talent when on the field. This season he is batting .271 with a .904 OPS and 25 home runs. His 2.9 fWAR is threatening to surpass his 5.0 career-high from last season, and he's currently 8th amongst hitters in the American League.
Welcome back Byron Buxton! pic.twitter.com/5rNTKJ7aZu
— Ted (@tlschwerz) July 4, 2026
Minnesota is hoping that Buxton misses only the minimum. That would be more than he was out last time, and with the All-Star Break, they would only be without him for six games. As a replacement from Triple-A, Alan Roden is headed to the big leagues for the first time this season.
Roden missed time with a torn labrum in his shoulder earlier this year. Across 33 games for St. Paul he has batted .272 with a .909 OPS. He has eight home runs and a near-even 25/24 K/BB.
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Ryan Jeffers not back for MN Twins
Recently Ryan Jeffers joined the St. Paul Saints on a rehab assignment as he works his way back from surgery to repair a broken hamate bone . Thus far though, he's only played in three games with just one coming behind the dish.
Despite going 5-for-11 with a home run , the Minnesota Twins aren't ready to activate their backstop. He was batting .295 with a .949 OPS prior to the injury, and they need him to return looking like the All-Star he was trending towards being. Instead of being at Target Field, Jeffers will make the trip to Des Moines with the Saints.
Ryan Jeffers enjoys hitting off Simeon Woods Richardson more than catching him. pic.twitter.com/WoReFd6J82
— Ted (@tlschwerz) July 5, 2026
It remains to be seen how the Twins will handle Jeffers over the next couple of weeks. He's an impending free agent, and would be the best catcher on the trade market . He could also just help Minnesota push for the postseason.
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There is some roster juggling to figure out as well, considering Alex Jackson can't be sent to Triple-A without clearing waivers. He has batted .300 with a .747 OPS in 19 games since Jeffers got hurt, but he does have a horrendous 15/0 K/BB. Regardless, if you're trading the veteran, then keeping Jackson in the organization is a must.
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