Minnesota Twins place Byron Buxton on injured list with left rib contusion

Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins collides with Lenyn Sosa #50 of the Chicago White Sox in the seventh inning of the game at Target Field on April 12, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the White Sox 3-1.  ((Photo by David Berding/Getty Images))

The Minnesota Twins have had Byron Buxton be the designated hitter for 50 games this season in hopes to avoid getting injured while playing center field.

Sometimes it just comes down to bad luck. The Twins on Tuesday placed Buxton on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 3, with a left rib contusion. Buxton was hit by a pitch last Thursday, facing Tanner Bibee of the Cleveland Guardians in a game where the Twins came back from down 6-3 to win 7-6.

In 50 games this season, Buxton is hitting .220 with nine doubles, 10 home runs, one triple, 23 RBI, 26 walks and has scored 31 runs. The Twins are replacing Buxton on the roster with outfielder Trevor Larnach, who has missed the last 13 games after being diagnosed with pneumonia. In 39 games with the Twins, Larnach is hitting .215 with five homers, four doubles, two triples and 27 RBI, which leads the team.

The Twins are 31-29 and have a 3.5-game lead in the American League Central Division over the Guardians, and a four-game lead over the Detroit Tigers. The Twins are in Tampa Bay for a three-game series, and Carlos Correa is in the lineup, but Royce Lewis is not. Willi Castro is starting at third base for Lewis.

Lewis, who is back from two significant knee injuries, suffered a head/neck injury Sunday against the Guardians after a scary-looking collision at first base, but told reporters after the game he was fine.

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