Twins’ Byron Buxton carries Energizer Bunny position into rematch vs. Rangers

Byron Buxton is off to another blistering start this week.

Buxton, the reigning American League Player of the Week, will try to stay hot for the visiting Minnesota Twins when they meet the Texas Rangers in the second contest of their three-game series on Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.

After going 11-for-24 with three doubles, four home runs, seven RBIs and six runs in six games last week, Buxton hit a solo home run on Monday night in the series opener against the Rangers, helping Minnesota to 4-2 win.

“It’s just one of those things where I’m trying to get up there and be that little Energizer Bunny for the team,” Buxton said.

Buxton made sure to credit his teammates for his recent play.

“I know they’ve got my back, whether I get a hit, I don’t get a hit, whatever it is,” he said. “They take a little bit of pressure off of me to just go up there and be ‘Buck,’ and they tell me that every day and it’s lightened me up a little bit.”

Minnesota manager Derek Shelton has been outspoken in his belief that Buxton deserves a spot on the AL All-Star roster, a team he made in 2022 and 2025.

“I’ll be shocked at who the other three (outfielders) are,” Shelton said. “He’s just been such a big boost for us.”

The Rangers have lost three of four and will be without shortstop Corey Seager the rest of the series after he was placed on the seven-day concussion list before the game.

Outside of a two-run homer by Joc Pederson in the loss on Monday, Texas showed little life at the plate, especially against the fastball.

After Jake Burger singled with one out in the fourth, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker put on a hit-and-run, but Alejandro Osuna grounded into an inning-ending double play on the first pitch.

“We just couldn’t get anything going, so trying to spark it a little bit in the fourth and that ground ball was off a fastball,” Schumaker said. “For whatever reason (Monday), we just couldn’t catch up to the heater.”

The Twins are planning to start right-hander Zebby Matthews on Tuesday.

Matthews (2-4, 5.20 ERA) gave up seven earned runs for the second time in his past three outings in an 11-0 loss at the Detroit Tigers last Thursday.

“They attacked him,” Shelton said of Matthews. “He threw strikes. You look at the line, I actually think he pitched better than the line.”

Matthews made his only MLB appearance against the Rangers in his final outing of last season, holding them to one run and four hits over seven innings of a 4-1 win in Texas on Sept. 23.

Right-hander Kumar Rocker is set to start for the Rangers on Tuesday.

Rocker (2-5, 3.56) has not received a decision in his past three starts.

He came within an out of getting a victory in his most recent outing against the host Kansas City Royals last Thursday. He pitched 4 2/3 innings and allowed two runs and five hits in the 4-2 win by Texas.

Rocker has not faced the Twins in his career.

–Field Level Media