Byron Buxton (hip) takes BP on Monday

He’ll serve as the 27th man for today’s game in Iowa, and we’re presuming will stick around afterwards. Buxton missed about two weeks with his latest hip impingement and has been hampered by the hip all season; start him while he’s healthy.

Buxton has been managing and battling through a lingering right hip issue for the last few months. His condition worsened to the point that he required a return trip to the injured list earlier this week. There’s optimism the injection, in addition to some extra rest, will finally put the issue to bed. The Twins are in the midst of a potential playoff push and are hoping to have Buxton back when first eligible to return next weekend.

Buxton has been battling a lingering hip ailment for the last couple months and didn’t look right at the dish after coming off the injured list last week, hitting just .160 (4-for-25) with zero extra-base hits in seven games. It’s challenging to forecast exactly when Buxton will return since the Twins would probably prefer that he finally put the hip issue to bed once and for all. Fantasy managers should anticipate a multi-week absence. There should be a definitive return timetable at some point in the near future.

Luke Keaschall takes over in center field. No surprise after Buxton made an early exit from Tuesday’s game at Target Field with right hip soreness. It’s been a persistent issue for him throughout the last few months and it wouldn’t be surprising if he wound up requiring a trip to the injured list. The Twins are probably going to wait at least a couple days before making that decision since they’re trying to remain in contention for an AL Wild Card playoff spot leading into next week’s trade deadline.

Not great. It’s the same hip issue that’s been bothering Buxton for most of the season. The 32-year-old franchise cornerstone was 0-for-2 prior to being replaced in center field by Luke Keaschall in the fifth inning of this one. Buxton has graded out as a top-15 fantasy outfielder this season, slashing .263/.320/.544 with 57 runs scored, 25 home runs, 45 RBI and seven steals in 82 games. Any sort of extended absence would be a massive hit for the Twins as they try to stay in playoff contention. He’ll undergo further evaluation, and possibly an MRI, to determine the severity of the issue. There should be additional clarity on his status prior to Wednesday’s contest.

Buxton was replaced by Luke Keaschall in center field after going 0-for-2 at the plate. It’s probably an injury-related departure since it was a 1-0 game at the time of his exit. There should be an update on his status shortly.

It appears to be a planned maintenance day for Buxton, who started back-to-back games after coming off the injured list earlier this week. Although, you never really know with Buxton sometimes. There’s no reason to panic at the moment. The 32-year-old fantasy stalwart will get some extra rest prior to Thursday’s series finale in Cleveland. It’ll be Luke Keaschall in center field on Wednesday evening in his place.

Buxton was removed for a pinch-hitter in the seventh, but that seemed to be a response to the fact that the Twins were down big in the eventual 13-4 loss. Austin Martin finished up in center after Buxton departed.

Buxton was placed on the injured list on July 7th, so he didn’t miss much time with a hip strain. The Twins are four games out of the AL Central lead and in the thick of the AL Wild Card hunt, so they clearly wanted their star back in the lineup as soon as possible.

Buxton winds up requiring a trip to the injured list after aggravating a previous hip issue during Sunday’s series finale against the Yankees. It’s a concerning development for the Twins, and fantasy managers, and it likely eliminates any chance of him playing in next week’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia. There should be a definitive update on his status and clear return timetable at some point later this week.