The Twins' Entire 2027 Blueprint Runs Through Byron Buxton's Right Hip

Minnesota's season ended at 77-85, eight games behind Cleveland in a Central division nobody ran away with, and the Twins' winter effectively began with a surgical report. Byron Buxton underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right hip on Sept. 18 — the endpoint of an issue that nagged him for most of 2026 — and per reporting from Dan Hayes of The Athletic, he is progressing well, on track to be healthy for 2027, and not being shopped.

That last part is as significant as the first two. The Twins had every excuse to explore a Buxton trade this winter. They apparently aren't taking it.

What Minnesota still has when Buxton plays

The 2026 numbers are a reminder of why. In 93 games, Buxton hit .254/.319/.511 with 25 home runs, 46 RBIs and seven steals — good for 3.37 WAR, including 19.9 runs above average and 16.9 of that on offense. The underlying profile is louder still: 97th percentile in barrel rate, 97th in sprint speed, 96th in xISO, 91st in xSLG. He barreled 43 balls in 408 plate appearances (15.8%), averaged 90.2 mph on contact, and posted a 111.9 mph max exit velocity. At 32 years old.

He also graded out at plus-three outs above average in center field, in the 84th percentile. Which is why the debate around him this week — whether to move him off center and into a DH role to protect the hip — is so awkward. The defense is part of the value.

The problem, as always, is the "93 games" part. Buxton has now had a hip procedure, and the Twins have built four consecutive seasons around hoping the number goes up. It hasn't.

The roster around him is getting thinner, not thicker

Walker Jenkins, Minnesota's most decorated position prospect, also had surgery this month, per a Twins injury update. Jenkins had already debuted — 26 games, .226/.293/.393 with four homers in 84 at-bats — and the health timeline matters because the Twins were counting on him to help close the gap.

Elsewhere, the picture is muddled. Royce Lewis hit .227/.287/.380 with a .667 OPS, 15 home runs and 130 strikeouts in 463 at-bats, and is now widely framed as a non-tender candidate at first base. Ryan Jeffers, by contrast, posted a .256/.353/.461 line with 14 homers in 92 games and has become the club's most obvious qualifying-offer decision. The Twins finished 25th in MLB with a 4.54 ERA; Pablo López hasn't appeared in a game since Sept. 19, 2025, now 391 days ago, and the 60-day injured list currently holds six pitchers: López, Cole Sands, Mike Paredes, Anthony Banda, David Festa and Mick Abel. The offense managed a .724 OPS with 186 home runs — respectable, not a carry job.

Continuity is the plan

Ownership has been clear about who runs this. Controlling owner Tom Pohlad publicly backed general manager Jeremy Zoll and manager Derek Shelton, and a false sale report that surfaced this week did little more than refocus attention on the Pohlads' long-term intentions. So the front office that bought at the deadline and finished under .500 will get another swing.

Here's the thing: the division is gettable. Cleveland won it at 85-77. The White Sox finished 84-78. Minnesota's minus-58 run differential wasn't the profile of a team that needs a rebuild — it's the profile of a team that needs its best player available in August.

If Buxton's hip cooperates and he plays 130-plus games, the 2027 Twins are a real contender in the AL Central. If it doesn't, the Twins will spend another winter having this exact conversation.