What happened to Byron Buxton? Why Twins All-Star CF is headed to injured list

The Minnesota Twins are still within striking distance of the postseason, and could even sneak into the Wild Card if things go well.

However, things recently just took a turn for the worse. Byron Buxton left a game recently with an injury, and there was some fear about an extended absence.

According to Aaron Gleeman on Twitter/x, that's exactly what's happening. Buxton is heading to the injured list this season, as this hip injury will keep him sidelined through the All-Star break, with the MLB trade deadline right around the corner.

Why Twins placed Byron Buxton onto IL

"Byron Buxton (hip) is going on the injured list, and the Twins are calling up Alan Roden from Triple-A St. Paul to replace him on the roster," Gleeman reports.

This is a significant roster move for the Twins, as Buxton's placement on the injured list means he's going to be out for the All-Star Game and also can't participate in the Home Run Derby again.

But, he's also now going to miss some time, at least the next 10 days, due to this hip issue. This is some massively unfortunate news for Buxton and the Twins, as the 44-47 ballclub was hanging around on the cusp of a postseason spot.

MORE: 3 reasons why Braves are perfect fit for Tarik Skubal at MLB trade deadline

They're 1.5 games out of the AL Wild Card and 4.0 out of the AL Central division lead. But now, for a little while, they're going to have to operate without their best player.

This season, Buxton was hitting .271 with 25 homers, 45 RBIs, 57 runs scored, 83 hits, 16 doubles, one triple, and a .903 OPS.

Now, Buxton will miss some time, likely impacting the Twins' postseason hunt, while taking Buxton out of the All-Star Game, and potentially having a big impact on the trade deadline as well.

Minnesota might be more likely to sell if Buxton is hurt, which could open the door for a Joe Ryan trade. But, for any team interested in Buxton, a trade might be off the table due to this injury, if it wasn't already impossible before.

More MLB news:

• Phillies’ Cristopher Sanchez is planned NL All-Star starter
• Phillies DFA No. 13-ranked prospect Jean Cabrera to keep Bryan De La Cruz
• Blue Jays trade idea swaps two top-10 prospects to Mets for Freddy Peralta
• Rays trade idea sends top-10 prospect in MLB to Tigers for Tarik Skubal
• Astros plan to be involved in Tarik Skubal trade sweepstakes