For Byron Buxton, Minnesota is home, and it’s where he wanted to be for life. “Where I come from, your word means everything… You’ve got to have a lot of people behind you. Not just the family, but everybody. In Minnesota, they did that. That’s home,” said Buxton, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. But opinions change, and the All-Star center fielder’s patience may be wearing thin with his team.

The 32-year-old even back in August said he wouldn’t waive his full no-trade clause. Now, though, Hayes reports Buxton “wants to play for a winner and may reconsider his stance for certain clubs if the Twins continue breaking up their roster, potentially by trading starting pitchers Joe Ryan or Pablo López.” That’s a huge shift.

And now, not just an apparent breakup, but rumors about his next location have started. Cue in the Dodgers. Dodger Nation Podcast mentioned, “So, I’ve got the trade that can fix the Dodgers outfield. And the number one trade candidate, if he’s available, is Byron Buxton. Can hit, can hit home runs, can play elite defense, can run the bases. He’s a leader. And I think that is going to fit his current aspirations right now. And then you kind of go to that next tier.” And it’s hard to argue with this logic.

Los Angeles had a need in the outfield, and it’s an immediate one, and Buxton checks nearly every box, so what Dodgers Nation is predicting can be true. He can hit for average, slug, steal bases, and play elite defense. Over the past two seasons, Buxton has posted a .270/.330/.540 slash line, 53 home runs, 31 steals, and a 138 weighted runs above average. This is nothing less than an All-Star caliber production. Even though he has some injury history, he is an asset.

But from Buxton’s perspective, too, the Dodgers make sense because they are a chance to chase a championship in his prime. LA just won its third World Series in five years, and it is a perfect fit for a player who is hungry for the October glory. And given Minnesota’s fire sale and the loss of their key pitchers like Jhoan Duran and bullpen arm Brock Stewart, staying when you have a goal to win is way less appealing.

The Twins’ payroll, moreover, has gone from $153.7 million in 2023 to a projected $95 million in 2026. So, contending doesn’t seem in mind, so a move seems likely for Buxton. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have another name they can target.

Could Rob Refsnyder be the Dodgers’ perfect stopgap? 

The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the hunt for a left fielder, too, and CBS Sports’ R.J. Anderson thinks that Rob Refsnyder could be a solid fit for LA. He is 35 years old and is surely not a long-term solution, but his recent performance says that he can still hold his own in the big league.

Moreover, his journey has been anything but linear. He bounced around five clubs without much success, and then he finally found his footing in Boston starting in 2022. And for the first time since his 2015 debut with the Yankees, he hit above league average—and proved himself. He had a minor dip in 2023, then bounced back in 2024 and posted a career high of 11 home runs and 40 RBIs across 93 games with an .830 OPS.

Refsnyder has kept the momentum going well, hitting nine homers in 70 games, and his OPS has risen to .838. Refsnyder has had three trips to the injured list over the past two years, but even with this his production has been impressive. Anderson, in fact, said, “Refsnyder was the walking definition of a replacement-level player through his age-30 campaign after logging time with five clubs without enjoying much success. It’s stunning, then, to note that he’s since amassed a 123 OPS+ in more than 900 plate appearances.”

His success comes from thriving against left-handed pitching, better bat speed, and pulling the ball more effectively. So while he can’t be LA’s full-time left fielder, a short-term deal makes sense.