Twins' first-quarter MVPs? Byron Buxton and Harrison Bader, the catch-everything outfield duo

MINNEAPOLIS In each of the past three offseasons, the Minnesota Twins have acquired a speedy, right-handed-hitting veteran outfielder with a sterling defensive reputation to serve as Byron Buxton injury insurance in center field and boost depth in the corner spots.

It worked brilliantly in 2023, when the Twins made a January trade with the Kansas City Royals for Gold Glove Award-winning center fielder Michael A.

Taylor, who was pressed into extended duty when Buxtons knee injury limited him to designated hitter before eventually requiring surgery.

Advertisement Taylor started 110 games in center field, playing spectacular, Buxton-caliber defense, stealing 13 bases in 14 tries and popping 21 homers at the bottom of the lineup.

He rose from an inexpensive depth piece to one of the Twins top all-around players, filling an essential role.

It worked horribly in 2024, when the Twins made a February trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers for Manuel Margot, only for the coaching staff to look at the 29-year-old during spring training and quickly deem him not a viable option in center field.

And their immediate assessment was right.

Margot looked lost in center field, wasnt much better in the corners and hit just .238/.298/.337 in 343 plate appearances, including breaking the all-time MLB record for pinch-hitting futility by going 0-for-30.

He performed worse than a replacement-level player, totaling -0.9 bWAR in 129 games.

Buxton was vastly healthier in 2024 than in 2023, returning to center field without missing a beat and playing more than 100 games for the first time in seven years, but the Twins went back to the same well this past offseason by signing Gold Glove-winning center fielder Harrison Bader for $6.25 million.

Three straight games with a HR for Byron Buxton! pic.twitter.com/pC50tcU0RX MLB (@MLB) May 8, 2025 Through the first quarter of this season, the Buxton insurance hasnt been required.

Hes healthy and thriving, starting 38 of 41 games in center field and hitting .264/.304/.520 to lead American League center fielders in OPS, homers (nine), RBIs (26), runs scored (30) and bWAR (1.7).

And his bat is merely part of the story.

This is as sturdy as Buxton, 31, has seemed physically in a long time, and his speed can still make a huge impact.

Buxton is 8-for-8 stealing bases, pushing his career rate to an MLB record 89.4 percent, and only Bobby Witt Jr.

has a higher average sprint speed .

Advertisement I think Buck is just enjoying feeling great and playing every day with his teammates, manager Rocco Baldelli said.

Theres probably a little less on his mind because of that.

Just being a baseball player again and being able to go out there and do his job, the job that he loves to do.

Buxton is running faster than he has since 2019 six seasons and two knee surgeries ago and his defense remains great at an age when many center fielders decline sharply.

On the rare occasion an opposing base runner dares to test his arm, hes shown why thats still a bad idea .

Hes a jump-starter, Baldelli said.

He always gets something going and makes something happen.

Because he can force the issue.

He doesnt have to wait for the game to come to him and take what he can get.

He can just make things happen on the field.

BYRON BUXTON CLINCHES THE GAME WITH AN UNBELIEVABLE CATCH! pic.twitter.com/9G4Ql38Yn6 MLB (@MLB) April 23, 2025 Few players in Twins history have played at this elite level in so many areas of the game.

Its nothing new for Buxton, who has had stretches like this before, but to be doing it at 31, and as an everyday part of the lineup, is especially meaningful after a decade of frequent injuries and absences.

Youre watching one of the best players on the planet in all facets, said Trevor Larnach, often the third member of the Twins outfield.

Defense, on the basepaths, in the (batters) box.

He makes it look so easy.

Im stoked for him.

Hes one of the best guys youll ever meet.

He deserves the best.

And because of Buxtons health this season, Bader has barely been needed in center field, enabling the Twins to instead play him nearly every day in a corner spot.

Not surprisingly for an award-winning center fielder, his defense has been spectacular alongside Buxton.

Advertisement Hes got a Gold Glove for a reason, Buxton said.

We communicate quite well and back each other up.

He understands, and so do I, to take a chance for the ball because you know we are going to have that backup.

Its fun to have another guy who goes after the ball, plays aggressive and plays hard.

Bader leads AL outfielders regardless of position with eight Defensive Runs Saved, and he ranks third with four outs above average , no small feat with just 30 innings in center field.

Hes quickly perfected what Baldelli has taken to calling the double-knee slide catch on sinking liners to left field .

The addition of Bader does a lot of things for an outfield, Baldelli said.

He takes an immense amount of pride in the way he plays.

...

This is why we wanted him, and this is why we went and got him, because we think he can affect the game with his glove and his legs.

And he is.

Hes crushing it.

HARRISON BADER MAKES AN INCREDIBLE CATCH (this should not be shocking) pic.twitter.com/aWCpH9e7aW Minnesota Twins (@Twins) April 13, 2025 Bader and Buxton have been as good defensively as any outfield duo in the league, and arguably in Twins history, forming an impenetrable no-fly zone for would-be extra-base hits.

The Twins outfield leads the AL in outs above average and ranks second in Defensive Runs Saved.

Our outfield defense has been outstanding, Baldelli said.

Not only is it a strength of ours, but I cant imagine an outfield defense thats helping their team win games the way ours does.

And like great artists admiring each others latest work, Buxton and Bader have formed something of a mutual admiration society for great grabs.

If he aint the leading defensive outfielder in baseball, then something is a problem, because I havent seen any balls drop over there, Buxton said.

Baders glove is why the Twins targeted him in free agency, viewing him as strong enough defensively to be a valuable regular even with a weak bat that produced a sub-.660 OPS in each of the past three seasons.

They also saw him as perhaps having untapped hitting upside at 30, but nothing like this.

Advertisement Bader, who batted .167 in the second half last season to lose his starting job with the New York Mets, has blown past the Twins most optimistic expectations offensively.

He popped three homers in the first week to signal things might be different, and has hit a career-best .298/.387/.462 in 37 games overall.

Life is Bader when Harrison hits home runs pic.twitter.com/SCAECR2kXI Minnesota Twins (@Twins) May 8, 2025 Buxton, the Twins longest-tenured player, and Bader, a free agent signed a few days before spring training to back him up, have been the teams MVPs through a quarter of the season, combining for 3.3 bWAR; every other hitter on the roster has produced a total of 0.6 bWAR.

Buxton ranks ninth among AL position players with 1.7 bWAR, and Bader is one spot behind him with 1.6 bWAR.

And theyve each consistently made a game-changing impact with a similar mix of outstanding hitting, aggressive base running, dazzling defense and infectious energy.

Having two dynamic center fielders in the same outfield is a hell of a thing.

(Photo: Ellen Schmidt / Associated Press).

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