Byron Buxton wasted no time making his presence felt after returning from the injured list. On Monday night, he drove in five runs, tying a career high, as the Twins beat the Athletics 10-4 at Sutter Health Park.
Four of Buxton’s RBIs came with two outs, part of a night where the Twins scored seven of their ten runs in two-out situations. He hit a two-run double in the second, a two-run single in the sixth, and added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Since returning from the 7-day concussion injured list, Buxton has collected six hits, eight RBIs, and four runs in just three games. He missed two weeks following a collision with Carlos Correa on May 15. He did not go on a rehab assignment.
“I might not show it,” Buxton said. “But just having that thought of taking a couple games to get your swing back, that’s kind of the thought when you miss 11 games. Then you start getting the creeps. ‘Do I need to go on a rehab assignment? See pitching?’”
The Twins jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the second. Buxton’s double helped cap the big inning. Athletics starter Luis Severino settled down, and the A’s clawed back to make it 6-4. But in the sixth, the Twins rallied again with two outs. Buxton’s hard-hit single to right restored momentum.
“You can feel the momentum switch,” said Ty France, who scored on the play. “We’re still winning, 6-4, but it felt like it was turning. That hit by Buck flipped it back. It made a huge difference.”
Buxton noted that going the opposite way on a 106.1 mph single was a good sign.
“I don’t go that way too much anyway,” he said. “So when I do and it’s hit hard like that, I know I’m in a good spot. I’m not trying to do too much.”
Manager Rocco Baldelli praised Buxton’s approach.
“Buck’s been having tremendous at-bats,” he said. “He was on a lot of pitches. Seeing them deep, shooting the ball through the right side. You only do that when you’re letting it travel. And he didn’t just poke it. He smoked it.”
Buxton’s return has sparked the Twins. Monday’s win made that clear. Even after two weeks away, he looks locked in and dangerous.
Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
