When the Minnesota Twins announced Byron Buxton’s latest injury, fans collectively held their breath. Another setback for their All-Star centerfielder? Here we go again. But wait – this time might be different. The Twins’ manager’s Wednesday update carried something Twins faithful haven’t heard in ages: genuine optimism. Wanna guess what’s driving this rare positive energy around Target Field?

Before we get into that, let’s check how the franchise has been doing lately. Remember when the Twins scratched Trevor Larnach from the lineup due to left-side soreness, just hours before facing the Tigers on Wednesday? The $2.1 million outfielder was set to start in left field and bat seventh when the team pulled him approximately an hour before first pitch. Well, you know how these things go in baseball – when it rains, it pours, and the Twins have been caught in a downpour of injuries all season long.

However, manager Rocco Baldelli delivered the most encouraging update on Buxton’s rib cartilage injury fans have heard in weeks: “We felt pretty fortunate knowing what he was feeling initially that it wasn’t an oblique or a muscle injury of any kind, because those can take a while to get back,” The diagnosis revealed a minor cartilage strain, something rarely seen in baseball, but the timeline looks promising. “Once it starts ramping up, it doesn’t appear to be one of those things that’s going to take forever to ramp up like it might if it were an oblique,” the manager added with genuine optimism. “I’m hitting now,” Buxton explained, “Definitely in good spirits when I can swing a bat.”

Buxton can’t shake the injury bug, missing 21 games because of a concussion, a shoulder injury, and a sprained left foot earlier this season. Technically, Buxton was eligible to be reinstated from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday after missing a week and a half because of cartilage irritation in his left ribcage. His workouts have progressed to include all baseball activities, but it’s probably still a matter of days before he’s activated. “I started [hitting] yesterday. Did a good bit yesterday. Just kind of working my way back into it. I want to play when I’m ready to play. It’s one little thing right now that’s kind of a little nag, but should be good [in a] couple of days,” he said Wednesday morning.

It does make sense that Twins fans would approach any injury update with cautious hope. The team has learned the hard way that rushing star players back often backfires, so they’re taking the measured approach of letting Buxton reach pain-free status before ramping up his baseball activities. But here’s where things get interesting for Minnesota.

Twins’ Byron Buxton eyes Friday return

That careful approach might pay off as soon as Friday night. Byron Buxton could return Friday night, and honestly, the timing couldn’t be better. The Minnesota Twins treat their star center fielder like precious cargo these days — and for good reason. His injury history reads like a medical textbook, but when he’s healthy, he transforms this entire team.

The fans at Target Field lose their minds when Buxton stepped into the batter’s box. He’s told everyone who’ll listen that Minnesota is home for life, especially after the wild trade deadline moves. That kind of loyalty doesn’t go unnoticed in the Twin Cities, where they appreciate players who actually want to stick around.

Buxton’s putting together something special this season, even with all the missed games. Twenty-three home runs, seventeen stolen bases, and that sweet .905 OPS tells the whole story. The guy’s hitting .282 while playing center field like he’s got a personal vendetta against every ball hit his way.

Here’s what makes this whole situation wild — Buxton’s only appeared in 85 of their 114 games and still looks like he’s having a career year. Most players would kill for those numbers over a full season, yet he’s doing it while dealing with his usual bumps and bruises. The Twins know exactly what they’ve got in Buxton, which explains why they treat him like gold. When he’s right, he’s arguably the best two-way player in baseball. Friday night could remind everyone exactly why Minnesota built its championship hopes around this guy, and why every careful day of recovery might just be worth a postseason push. What do you think?