AL Central: The Buxton backup plan
Feb 10 2026
Byron Buxton logged a career-high 542 PA last year, his first 500+ PA season since 2017, but we shouldn't assume he'll be able to do it again. Even in a "healthy" season, he spent 31 days on the IL, and has accrued 513 IL days for his career. His PA average over the last five seasons is 383. Whether in MLB or fantasy, it's crucial to have a Buxton backup plan in place.
In the past, the Twins have done this by signing veterans like Michael Taylor and Harrison Bader, but this year, they seem intent to rely on in-house options. The first of those is likely Austin Martin. Martin played 11 games in CF for the Twins last year, and another 12 for Triple-A St. Paul. He offers emerging plate discipline (12% bb%, 80% ct% last year)...
Almost!
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