Overview
- Buxton said Thursday that he will likely need hip surgery in the offseason while also saying he plans to keep trying to return for Minnesota’s playoff push.
- The right-hip impingement has been a recurring problem dating to 2021 and has produced six injured-list stints overall and three separate IL trips since early July.
- Buxton was an elite producer early in 2026 but his hip flared on July 5, and his offense fell sharply after that flare-up.
- Top prospect Walker Jenkins and internal options have been getting starts in center field as the Twins evaluate outfield combinations and possible winter moves.
- Buxton is in year five of a seven-year, $100 million deal with a full no-trade clause, and teams say an offseason procedure is not expected to clearly rule him out of 2027 though collective-bargaining timing could affect next season’s start.