Byron Buxton looks to be a calming presence in Twins' clubhouse after a flurry of deadline moves
Two days later, Buxton was still trying to take in all the moves the Twins made as the front office made nine trades and turned over nearly 40% of the roster.
Even though the All-Star center fielder is on the 10-day injured list with left ribcage inflammation, Buxton joined the Twins in Cleveland for this weekend's series as the franchise's clubhouse leader wanted to be there to provide support and be a sounding board for teammates.
'I mean ,trading nine guys like that is something that's not normal, so it was a little bit of a shock for sure,' Buxton said before Saturday's game. 'Right now, obviously, I haven't processed it. I don't know who has processed it, but something we'll talk about a little bit more at the end of the season.'
Manager Rocco Baldelli said that having Buxton on the trip was important, not only for the support that he can give, but also because he remains on track to rejoin the lineup on Wednesday when the Twins are at Detroit.
'Keeping him with our trainers here and being able to get on the field here with the group when he's ready was important, but also the support that he's going to be giving the guys around him. Everybody looks to him, everyone looks to see how he'll respond to things, and he's a passionate guy. He cares about his teammates and his team and guys respect him immensely.'
Buxton said he understands that baseball is a business and he anticipated moves were going to be made near the deadline. However, the amount of turnover was surprising.
The Twins' most-significant move near the deadline was when shortstop Carlos Correa was dealt to Houston. Correa broke into the majors with the Astros and still has a house in Houston as he waived his no-trade clause.
'It's one of those things where you didn't think he was going to leave but with the opportunity that was ahead of him and just him being an Astro before, it's hard to pass that up in his situation. I couldn't be happier for him and his family. It is what's best for him,' Buxton said about Correa.
While there are a lot of unknowns about the Twins as the team remains for sale, Buxton is trying to focus on the present. That includes making sure the new faces on the team can get acclimated quickly as well as trying to make sure the season doesn't spiral too much out of control.
Minnesota won the AL Central in 2023, but missed the playoffs with an 82-80 mark last season. The Twins entered Saturday at 51-58 and on a three-game losing streak.
'These guys coming up, I don't want them to look at this as 'I finally got a shot.' You came up here because you want to win and you want to be better. So it's just playing together and having each other's backs is going to be the biggest thing going forward,' he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
41 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Astros reliever Neris intentionally balks to advance runner from second, then shouts at Red Sox
Former pitcher CC Sabathia joins Dan Patrick to reflect on his experience getting inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, sharing what the moment meant to him, why his trip to Cooperstown was unique and more. BOSTON — Houston Astros reliever Héctor Neris used a balk to advance a runner to third on Saturday, then had an exchange with Red Sox third base coach Kyle Hudson that led to a dustup between the teams. Neris surrendered Trevor Story's two-out RBI double in the seventh inning of Houston's 7-3 loss. The right-hander then balked, moving Story to third, before Carlos Narváez bounced to shortstop for the final out. As Neris made his way off the mound, he had words with Hudson and yelled toward the Red Sox dugout, causing both teams, including bullpens, to come on the field before order was quickly restored. Asked if he felt the Red Sox were stealing signs, Neris responded: 'Maybe. Maybe yes, maybe no.' 'But I still wanted to concentrate,' the 36-year-old right-hander continued. 'In (that) situation, I want to do what I'm feeling in the moment. That is the reason why I moved him to third.' Neris declined to specify what he said to Hudson that caused the benches to empty. 'Nothing. It's part of the game,'' he said with a grin. 'Something funny. People come into (the clubhouse) maybe to hear what happened, but nothing serious.' Astros manager Joe Espada, speaking to the media before Neris, had no insight into what caused the confrontation. 'I'm actually going to ask Neris,' he said. 'I really don't know what words were exchanged to be honest with you.' Asked what caused the benches to clear and if sign-stealing was the issue, Red Sox manager Alex Cora directed the questions to Neris. Pitching calls in the major leagues are relayed electronically through PitchCom, but a baserunner on second can determine what pitch is coming by looking for a pitcher's grip. A runner on second also can relay where a catcher is setting up to help a batter with pitch location. The Astros were disciplined by Major League Baseball after it found the team used electronics to steal signs during their run to the 2017 World Series title and again in the 2018 season. Cora was the bench coach for Houston in 2017. In the wake of the sign-stealing scandal, he departed Boston in January 2020 in what was called a mutual decision. After serving a one-season suspension handed down by MLB, he was rehired as Red Sox manager in November 2020.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Pete Alonso belts homer in second straight as he closes in on Mets' all-time home run record
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free Pete finally posted his first repeat in nearly two months to move ever closer to the all-time Mets home run record. Pete Alonso went yard for the second straight game after homering just once in his first 12 appearances since the All-Star break to help the Mets to a 12-6 victory Saturday over the Giants at Citi Field. Advertisement Alonso's three-run blast in the first inning was the 250th home run of his career, pulling him within two of tying Darryl Strawberry's long-standing club record of 252. Strawberry's total came in 1,109 games over eight seasons with the Mets from 1983-1990. 'It felt really special. I was just happy to help the team right there,' Alonso said. 'Honestly, I don't think about [passing Strawberry] a whole bunch. I just want to capitalize on opportunities when presented and help the team win. 4 Pete Alonso hits his 250th home run, a three-run shot in the first inning of the Mets' 12-6 win over the Giants at Citi Field on Aug. 2, 2025. JASON SZENES/ NY POST Advertisement 'I think the record is obviously something that is really special and it's meaningful, but now in the heat of it, I'm not really too focused on that or worried about it. I'm just focused on wins. We're in the thick of a playoff race right now, and I'll think of all the other stuff in the offseason, whenever I have time. Right now, this is all team-focused.' Alonso, who also doubled and walked as the Mets halted their four-game losing streak, needed 957 games to reach 250 homers. That's nearly a full season faster (157 fewer games) than Strawberry, who had his uniform number 18 retired by the Mets last season. Alonso joined Ralph Kiner, Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard and Eddie Mathews as the only players in MLB history to belt at least 250 home runs over their first seven big league campaigns. Advertisement 4 Pete Alonso rounds the bases after belting his 250th home run in the Mets' blowout win over the Giants. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS One night earlier, Alonso had snapped an 0-for-19 skid with a solo homer off Giants starter Robbie Ray in the seventh inning of an eventual 4-3 Mets loss in 10. He added a game-tying sacrifice fly against former teammate José Buttó one inning later. Alonso's three-run shot to left-center Saturday against Giants rookie Kai-Wei Teng in the home first — measuring 428 feet — marked the first time he has gone deep in consecutive games since June 4-5 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Advertisement 4 Pete Alonso is greeted by his teammates in the dugout after hitting his 250th homer, a three-run shot in the first inning of the Mets' blowout win over the Giants. JASON SZENES/ NY POST 4 Pete Alonso celebrates after hitting a three-run homer in the first inning of the Mets' blowout win over the Giants. Jason Szenes / New York Post It was the five-time All-Star first baseman's 24th homer of the season, one behind Juan Soto for the team lead. And it gave him a team-best 86 RBIs, behind only Kyle Schwarber and since-traded Eugenio Suárez (now with the Mariners) in the National League. Defensively, Alonso also made a diving stab and scrambled to beat Jung Hoo Lee to the bag for the second out of the eighth. 'Proud of him. Not an easy number there,' Carlos Mendoza said of Alonso reaching 250 homers. 'Especially in that first inning there, setting the tone. Delivering insights on all things Amazin's Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters 'He's pretty good. We saw it [Friday], and we continued to see it today. Hopefully he takes off from here now … I think he's getting there.'
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Dodgers headline biggest 2025 MLB trade deadline losers
The post Dodgers headline biggest 2025 MLB trade deadline losers appeared first on ClutchPoints. After a quiet few weeks leading up to the 2025 MLB trade deadline, the final 24 hours were an absolute whirlwind. All 30 teams were involved in one trade. Multiple teams, including the San Diego Padres, New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins, made more than three deals. All three of those teams were especially active on the deadline's final day. While moves made by the Yankees and Padres were made to fortify contending teams, the Twins went the opposite path. They orchestrated a fire sale across the board, trading multiple veterans like shortstop Carlos Correa and closer Jhoan Duran. Despite this flurry of moves, they didn't really come out ahead. More on Minnesota's tear down below. Hint: chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and the Twins front office should have done much more. While the Twins decided to tear it down, two other teams in their division should have done more at the deadline. While at opposite ends of the spectrum, the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox both should have tried to do more. The Tigers should have gone after bigger names like third baseman Eugenio Suarez (traded to the Seattle Mariners) or starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (stayed with the Miami Marlins) to enhance what is the AL's best team right now. The White Sox, however, didn't do enough selling. In order to continue with their rebuild, GM Chris Getz should have made more moves. Two NL franchises are also on this list. Both the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers are certainly playoff teams. At the moment, Chicago holds one of the NL Wild Card slots. The Dodgers hold a three-game lead in the NL West. While both clubs did make moves at the deadline, they also fit in with the 'did not do enough' crowd. Los Angeles, in particular, barely made any noise. Will GM Brandon Gomes and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman regret staying mostly pat? Dodgers spoil chance to improve upon contending team What happened? Almost every year at the deadline, the Dodgers usually make at least one or two deals that improve their roster. On their way to the World Series last year, they picked up starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and utilityman Tommy Edman among other additions. A few years ago, it was the star duo of Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. This year, Los Angeles followed their usual late July fireworks by trading starter Dustin May and outfielder James Outman, along with some minor leaguers. The incoming players? Depth outfielder Alex Call and reliever Brock Stewart. That's all that Gomes and Friedman brought in. On the surface, it's not too surprising. After all, the Dodgers are winning their division. They are likely the best team in the NL, if not the entire league. They are the defending World Series champions, with basically every major piece from last year's team on this year's roster. So, perhaps the Los Angeles brass didn't want to give up too much at the deadline, especially since a good number of players will be back from injury soon. One of their aces, Blake Snell, will be back from the IL this weekend. The team should get back Roki Sasaki in the coming weeks as well. In the lineup, the injuries of third baseman Max Muncy and utilitymen Kike Hernandez and Hyeseong Kim are also shorter-term ailments. By the time September rolls around, the Dodgers could be back at full strength for the most part. However, that doesn't excuse not adding more at the deadline. Especially since the team has so much talent that they can move. A shot at World Series number nine might have gone up in smoke at the deadline. Twins fire sale precursor to bigger changes? The Minnesota Twins' regression really began with their collapse last season. At one point, they were poised to capture the AL Central and a playoff spot. However, manager Rocco Baldelli's club fell apart as the second half of last season progressed. This season, the hope was that a fully healthy and already talented roster would be able to fight their way back into playoff contention. That turn of events did not come to pass. In fact, the Twins have struggled quite a bit once again in 2025. So, Falvey and the Twins brass decided to tear it all down. Not only did they trade Correa and Duran. They also sent off starting pitcher Chris Paddack, utilityman Willi Castro, setup man Griffin Jax, outfielder Harrison Bader and a few more players. A good chunk of the major league roster now plays elsewhere. Were the pieces they received in return worth it? Multiple major league ready players, like starting pitcher Taj Bradley and Outman, were added in the flurry of deals. They will certainly try to claim their spots on the major league roster as Minnesota turns into a youth movement for the rest of the season and perhaps longer. Ace Joe Ryan somewhat surprisingly stayed put, but he could be dealt in the winter. As could center fielder Byron Buxton. This season has certainly been one filled with disappointment, but it could lead to wholesale organizational changes this coming offseason. Tigers should have added bigger fish at MLB trade deadline Sometimes, quantity over quality is the way to go. If you can't get higher quality players/pieces back in a trade, then adding more to a return to maximize its value can be the best route. However, in the case of the MLB trade deadline that just passed, the Detroit Tigers' strategy of quantity over quality wasn't the right choice. Especially for a team that is actively trying to be a World Series contender. President of baseball operations Scott Harris and his staff added seven different arms before the deadline passed. SEVEN. It is safe to say that the team's depth is much improved. Adding starters Chris Paddack (via the Minnesota Twins) and Charlie Morton (from the Baltimore Orioles) certainly helps improve the backend of their rotation. Out of the five relief arms that Harris added, ex-Washington Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan could be yet another late-inning option. Yes, depth in October is very important. Having the arms and bats to withstand the upcoming stretch run will be crucial to Detroit's title aspirations. Yet, not going for true impact pieces, such as Ryan or Suarez, certainly has to sting. While the types of moves that the Tigers made at the deadline have helped teams win titles in the past, sometimes it takes that one extra star to help lift a team over the top. Detroit certainly got better with their deadline moves. But are they good enough to get past other AL contenders like the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays or Houston Astros? In a few months, the baseball world will know the answer. White Sox didn't do enough at MLB trade deadline to help with rebuild After months (honestly, it's been closer to more than a year) of trade rumors involving Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr., you know what happened? The team didn't trade him. Even with his depleted trade value at the moment, there's no doubt that one team would have likely paid a fair price for the player Robert Jr. currently is. The problem is the White Sox' valuation of their Cuban outfielder. Getz and his front office are still valuing Robert Jr. like the MVP candidate he used to be. However, he's not that player anymore. Therefore, he's not worth that valuation. Unfortunately, it seems as if Chicago is still clinging to his old performance. Due to this, it could be some time before Robert Jr. leaves the South Side. Getz and the front office did trade away veteran starter Adrian Houser to the Tampa Bay Rays, as well as outfielder Austin Slater to the New York Yankees. But that wasn't nearly enough for a team that is clearly rebuilding. Why couldn't they trade away relievers like Dan Altavilla or Jordan Leasure, or outfielder Mike Tauchman? There might not have been too many pieces left that the White Sox could have traded away, but any move that brought in young players to help with the rebuild would have been nice to have. Hopefully Robert Jr. and other trade pieces can prove their worth over the season's second half. Winter is coming, after all. Cubs didn't do enough at MLB trade deadline to help playoff odds There was definitely one Cub who came out ahead at the trade deadline: president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, who signed a contract extension. Hoyer's moves at the deadline, however, were underwhelming at best. For a team looking to get back to both the top of the NL Central and the playoffs, the deals that Hoyer and the front office made look like they will make a marginal impact at best. Utilityman Willi Castro was likely their best addition, as the former Twin can play multiple positions and bat throughout the lineup as well. The Cubs were able to take advantage of Minnesota's fire sale and bring Castro aboard. However, it is curious to think about why the team didn't swing a deal for Twins ace Joe Ryan. Starting pitching is one of Chicago's biggest needs, and Ryan would have certainly given them another much needed postseason rotation arm. Miami's Alcantara or Edward Cabrera would have also made sense. The market was short on impact starting pitchers, but there were options. The fact that Hoyer and the Cubbies' brass didn't try to go in for one of them (or were unwilling to pay the price) is telling. Despite being one of MLB's biggest clubs, Chicago still refuses to spend, at least to some extent. If they want to keep superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker from leaving in free agency next winter, then their moves at the deadline were certainly a disappointing turn of events. They helped the team's depth but didn't make the Cubs a bigger threat to winning it all in October. Related: Dustin May's 'sad' admission after Red Sox-Dodgers trade Related: Why Toronto Blue Jays will regret trading for Shane Bieber
