Byron Buxton Selfish for Choosing All-Star Game Over Tigers’ Series?

Byron Buxton didn’t playing against the Detroit Tigers tonight. He won’t be written into the Minnesota Twins’ lineup tomorrow, either. The team HOPES he will be ready to take the field by Tuesday, when they start another two-game series vs the Milwaukee Brewers.

That’s because, on Saturday afternoon, news broke that Buxton had received a platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection into his knee on Wednesday, following his appearance in the All-Star game the night before. The PRP injection, which takes a few days to a week to recover from, was pre-planned.

But the Twins had to push the treatment back from Monday to Wednesday, because of Buck’s All-Star appearance on Tuesday. Had he gotten the injection when the All-Star break first got underway (Monday), it’s very possible he would have been ready to take the field for the Minnesota Twins this weekend.

Wrote how the All-Star Game altered Byron Buxton’s treatment plans. Had he not played — and hit the game-winning homer — Buxton likely would have had a PRP shot on Mon. Had to wait til Wednesday, which likely keeps him out of this 2-game series.https://t.co/ueKiK5vIM4 https://t.co/ZqtBHapjRw

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) July 23, 2022

Selfish, understandable or… both?

In a vacuum, Byron Buxton’s decision to play in the All-Star game last week was a selfish one. He knew it would cause him to miss at least two games this weekend vs the Tigers. From a literal standpoint, there’s no arguing that Buck chose a personal accolade over helping his team win this weekend.

But this isn’t a vacuum and there’s a lot that goes into the situation. First, it was Byron’s first ever All-Star selection and there’s no guarantee he will ever get back to the mid-summer classic. That’s worth something.

Not to mention what an All-Star appearance can do for a young star’s confidence, which Dan Hayes (The Athletic) pointed out on Twitter.

There’s benefit on the player side of the confidence that comes from knowing you’re that good and belong. Can’t tell you how many first-time All-Stars have said the experience means more than they ever thought. And none of those guys hit the game-winning homer.

— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) July 23, 2022

It’s difficult to put yourself in Byron Buxton’s shoes and imagine making any other decision outside of the one he did. To fly out to LA on Jim Pohlad’s private jet and live your best life as one of the best baseball players in the world, this summer.

As a fan praying every night to see the Minnesota Twins make a playoff run, Buxton’s decision is disappointing. But as a human being who understands that life is short, I can’t blame him or pretend like I’d do anything different.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan