Minnesota Twins star outfielder Byron Buxton is one of the best young players in the game of baseball today.
Yesterday, he hit a walk-off three-run homer off Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks, leading the Twins to a sweep of their division rival, which put them in sole possession of first place in the American League Central.
Buxton has struggled some with his health over the years, but when he’s on, he can be a real threat in that Twins lineup.
Jeff Passan of ESPN tweeted an interesting stat regarding the Twins and Buxton, showing just how important and impactful of a player Buxton can truly be.
Since 2019, the Minnesota Twins are 124-73 (101-win pace) with a +233 run differential when Byron Buxton plays, per @PaulHembo.
In the 203 games he hasn't played, Twins are 94-109 (75-win pace) and -97.
In his last 162 games, Buxton has 8.4 WAR. The definition of impact player.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 25, 2022
The X Factor
Buxton is a major key to the Twins’ success and will be one of the X factors as the Twins look to rebound from a terrible 2021 season.
The difference is stark between when Buxton plays and when he doesn’t play.
He is the single most indispensable player on the Twins’ roster.
He’s a five-tool guy who can do it all.
As Passan notes in his tweet, the Twins play at a 101-win pace since 2019 when Buxton is in the lineup, with the Twins’ run differential being at +233.
It’s quite different when he’s not in, as the Twins play at just a 75-win pace with a run differential of -97.
This just goes to show how important Buxton is to the Twins.
This is a young team with a bright future and Buxton is the centerpiece of this ballclub.
They’re 8-8 to start the season, but if Buxton stays healthy and continues to produce, then the Twins can be a strong contender for an AL Central title.
NEXT: Byron Buxton Officially Back In Effort To Save Twins Offense
