The Minnesota Twins have been an inconsistent team over the past few seasons, but with a 36-40 record through their first 76 games played, they find themselves 4.5 games back of top spot in the American League Central division. That leaves them right in the hunt for a return to the post-season in 2026, but it also has them as potential sellers, especially with players like Joe Ryan drawing immense interest.
That’s led to plenty of chatter around some of their star players, including Byron Buxton, who has recently been linked to several teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies. This is despite him declaring in recent years that he wants to be a Minnesota Twin for life, but with the recent speculation, he’s been asked about his future with the team once again.
Byron Buxton Declares His Allegiance to the Minnesota Twins
GettyByron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins.
In his latest piece for The Athletic, Dan Hayes chats with Buxton about all of the speculation and if that will effect him moving forward as the Twins look to find their momentum, and in the strongest terms possible, he declared that he has no intentions of leaving this season.
“I don’t give a f—,” Buxton said. “End of the day, nobody’s in my shoes. Nobody can say anything about what I’m going to do. I know what I’m a doing. The only way I’m getting out of here — they’re going to have to come talk to me and tell me something else. Simple as that. I ain’t said nothing about leaving, nor will I. I’m a Twin.”
At the end of his quote, Buxton did note that there’s a chance the team may come and tell him that he’s been dealt, but right now as the team look to continue battling it out for a post-season spot, he’s focused on nothing but that as he should be.
Will the Twins Deal Byron Buxton?
On paper, it doesn’t make too much sense for Minnesota to trade Buxton, as he’s been a long-time star for the organization, and in 2026, his performance continues to get better and better. With 283 plate appearances, Buxton has posted a .275 batting average alongside a .936 OPS with 23 home runs and 36 RBI, and while he could be a very valuable trade chip, the team remain firmly in the post-season race.
While they’re 4.5 games back in the AL Central race, they’re just 1.5 back in the Wild Card, and given how important he is to the middle of the Twins lineup, they’ve got no motivation to move him. On top of that, he has two seasons remaining on his current contract beyond 2026 at $15.2 million per season, and given that they want to stay competitive, they should be looking to keep their star centerfielder.
Whether or not that happens, only time will tell ahead of the August 3rd trade deadline, but clearly, it’s not something that Buxton is thinking about right now, and if the Twins thoughts are anything close to Buxton’s, he’s going to remain in Minnesota for the rest of his career.
Minnesota Twins Star Byron Buxton Addresses Recent Trade Speculation