You’re either with them or against them.
The Minnesota Twins offered outfield Byron Buxton a long-term extension that is above $70 million, according to The Athletic. The deal also includes escalators and incentives that would increase the value of the contract. However, if he declines the offer, the Twins will send him away before the July 30, trade deadline.
The Twins are currently 39-50 and sit in fourth place in the American League Central. They have decisions to make on several players including Nelson Cruz, Andrelton Simmons, and Jose Berrios – who has been linked to the Mets. Buxton is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2022 season, and Minnesota needs to gauge if Buxton would stick around past that.
The 27-year-old is currently on the injury list with a fractured right hand, and was hurt from May 7 to June 19 with a strained right hip. That said, he has put up stellar numbers through 27 games. Buxton had a .369/.409/.767 slash line while hitting 10 home runs and 19 RBIs.
The former No. 2 overall selection in the 2012 MLB Draft could be a solid addition to a contending team. However, any trade for Buxton comes with risk. The centerfielder is extremely injury-prone; his current trip to the injured list is the 11th of his career. Also, he has only played in over 100 games just once in his career – back in 2017. Over the past four seasons, he has only played in 38.2% of the Twins games.