‘One of the leaders,' Byron Buxton playing big role on and off field for energetic Twins

New York Times

16 hours ago

NEW YORK — For about a minute, Brooks Lee's teammates made him think he was responsible for paying a significant portion of an expensive team dinner.
As part of a prank played at the end of an enjoyable evening at a Cleveland steakhouse, Twins veterans Byron Buxton and Christian Vázquez said they'd foot most of the bill but asked their younger teammates to place their credit cards in a pile with the owner of the plastic randomly selected agreeing to pay 'the rest.'
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Lee was hardly surprised when his card was pulled and he was asked to pay nearly $3,000. While several teammates knew Buxton and Vázquez planned to pay for the entire meal they arranged, it didn't prevent Lee from falling for the bit.
Eventually, Buxton and Vázquez let Lee know he was off the hook. But Lee's reaction was one of the highlights of an Aug. 2 outing Buxton hoped would lighten the mood in the wake of a trade deadline in which the team's roster was ripped apart with 10 major-league players being offloaded in four days.
Though Buxton's ability to lead on the field was limited by left rib irritation, an injury that sidelined him from July 27 until Monday, he's played a pivotal role behind the scenes since the July 31 deadline. The two-time Twins All-Star was activated off the injured list Monday and homered in a 6-2 loss to the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.
Byron Buxton gets the @Twins on the board!@goodyear | #MLBNShowcase pic.twitter.com/iR57MaIHgi
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 12, 2025
'(Brooks) was mad at me for not putting my card in,' outfielder Austin Martin said. 'But I knew what was going on. … It was a nice bonding moment. It felt like we didn't have a lot of those last season.'
It was the type of moment the Twins envisioned when they invited Buxton on a six-game road trip, even though they weren't sure he'd play. They wanted their veteran around for what promised to be an interesting deadline and felt fortunate Buxton was in Cleveland to process alongside his teammates a day few, if any, players in the history of the sport have experienced.
'We felt like it would be good no matter what to keep Byron connected to the team,' general manager Jeremy Zoll said. 'The deadline went the way that it did; it was even better in that regard to have him there from a leadership perspective.'
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After speaking to Twins president Derek Falvey following the deadline, Buxton knew what the team hoped he could provide in Cleveland. Sometime after Twins manager Rocco Baldelli addressed the team Friday, Buxton and Vázquez organized a team dinner at Morton's The Steakhouse following Saturday's mid-afternoon first pitch. The agenda was to lighten the mood and help the Twins regroup after a chaotic week.
'We got together and talked it out,' Buxton said. 'It kind of worked out perfectly. … Everything went down that Thursday. We wanted guys to come in and relax a little bit and know it's good to be here, be happy about yourself for being here. It's hard to get up here. Don't take what happened Thursday and let it carry over for weeks.'
Before he took batting practice Monday, Buxton reiterated his excitement for rejoining the roster assembled. He's enjoyed watching the Twins play aggressive baseball and couldn't wait to play alongside them. He likes how they're playing loose and energetic, as if they've turned a page — 'It's what it feels like,' he said.
Buxton likes how the team is trying to push it on the bases and put pressure on opposing pitchers. He thinks employing that style will ultimately result in more hittable mistakes, like the 0-1 sweeper from Yankees starter Will Warren he swatted with two outs in the sixth inning, which resulted in his 24th homer of the season.
'I think being able to really be part of it, assert his presence and just get back on the field with this new group is important to him,' Baldelli said before the game.
Buxton is also eager to play alongside second baseman Luke Keaschall. Not only does Buxton dig the rookie's playing style, he appreciates how Keaschall carries himself.
'It seems like he's been up here for four or five years, and it's only been a week,' Buxton said.
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Buxton doesn't see himself as the team's only leader. But the veteran recognizes how much of an example he sets with his energy and how he conducts himself in the wake of a difficult period.
'I'm not trying to be the leader, I'm trying to be one of the leaders,' Buxton said. 'I need these guys (by my) side.'
Following the team dinner, Lee didn't want to be the singular young player to foot the bill.
Lee noticed Martin, who has less service time, didn't put in his card. He also noticed Vázquez had an agenda as the catcher 'blindly' picked out the losing card.
'I could literally see Vasky feeling out my card trying to find it,' Lee said. 'For probably like a minute, though, I was like, 'Great, I've got to pay this bill.' … (The dinner) was great. We had a bunch of new faces. It needed to happen. I think we have come together. I don't feel like there's any outcasts. … A lot of us are young. We play hard and have fun.'
Though his hitting streak ended Monday at 11 games, Keaschall was named the American League's player of the week. Keaschall earned the honor after batting .455/.455/.864 with three doubles, two home runs and 10 RBIs in 22 plate appearances.
'This is a tough league and it's very difficult to win those awards, but how much better can a guy play?' Baldelli said. 'What he's doing has been just terrific. Not just putting up numbers, but actually just winning games for the team. Pretty awesome and beyond well deserved.'
He might not immediately play, but Matt Wallner is expected to be activated off the paternity list before Tuesday's game. Wallner's wife gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter, on Saturday morning. … Outfielder Alan Roden is day to day after jamming his thumb making a catch against the fence in left field Sunday, Baldelli said. … Zebby Matthews generated 18 swings-and-misses during a 99-pitch outing in the losing effort Monday. Matthews surrendered three earned runs on three solo home runs and struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings.
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