FORT MYERS, Fla. — Byron Buxton doesn’t have too many predications for his upcoming season, but he did make one on Monday after going through the first day of workouts at Twins camp.
“I’m predicting myself to stay healthy,” he said.
That might seem bold, considering his injury history, but it’s another indication that the center fielder is in a good place both physically and mentally after his first healthy offseason in years. In previous years, the center fielder has had to focus on rehabbing and physical therapy. This year, it was just typical baseball activity.
“I think this was something he’s really looked forward to, something he’s earned,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Physically, yes, but mentally being able to actually go home and settle in and build himself back up and work on his baseball skills and his body the way he wants to, that’s great. Every guy should have that. It’s not always the case.”
When Buxton, 31, reported to camp last spring, he was coming off of his second straight knee surgery and fielding questions about returning to the outfield after an entire season as a designated hitter. At the time, he hadn’t played defense in more than 500 days.
His offseason days in the past were spent in physical therapy, trying to get healthy. This year, at home in Baxley, Ga., his offseason had one major goal and he achieved it.
“Simple,” he said. “Stay healthy.”
“I got my own gym. I didn’t have to go anywhere. Trainers came. The strength coach came. Hitting coach came. So, there were a few people who came to the house,” Buxton added. “I didn’t have to go anywhere. It was one of those things where I’m getting everything I need to get done (and) then I was around my family, which is the most important thing to me.”
Buxton is coming off a season in which he played 102 games, his most since he played in 140 games in 2017. He made 94 appearances in center field after none a season prior.
Though he was twice on the injured list — once for knee inflammation and once for hip inflammation — eclipsing the 100-game mark was a big milestone for Buxton, who put up a 3.6 bWAR (Wins Above Replacement per Baseball Reference) in those 102 games.
Buxton hit .279 with a .859 OPS, 18 home runs and 27 doubles last season. After coming back from his second stint on the injured list, he hit .300 in his final 12 games of the season, doing his part even as the Twins fell apart.
Now, the next question to be answered is how he can build on that, both from a health and performance stand point.
“It’s been a while since he has been able to do that. I think it meant a lot to him,” Baldelli said. “It made him feel good, frankly, and he showed up here in a good frame of mind.”
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