After tearing up AAA this season, the Minnesota Twins are calling up their top prospect, Walker Jenkins. Jenkins will provide something of a boost to the Twins' lineup at a time when the franchise needs it most. This season in AAA, Jenkins has posted a .305 batting average with a .927 OPS. That includes 11 home runs and 27 RBIs.

That’s big-time production the Twins' lineup is going to need, given their struggles offensively. Jenkins will now receive an extended runway at the MLB level to perform, as Byron Buxton's injury could be more significant than originally thought. Perhaps beside him when he returns and the rosters expand.

The Twins are likely leaning toward placing outfielder Byron Buxton on the 10-day IL, given the update on Jenkins. It would mark the third time in 2026 that Buxton has been placed on the IL, twice previously with right hip issues. 

How the Injury Occurred 

In the Twins' 4-2 loss to the Athletics on Tuesday, Buxton was removed from the contest in the bottom of the seventh inning when he attempted to cut a ball off in the gap and appeared to tweak his hip once again. Moments later, the trainer and manager Derek Shelton came out to remove Buxton from the game.

“I think the thing is, he's been dealing with the issue, which we know, and I think it kind of caught when he went to stop on the bullet,” Shelton said postgame of the injury. “The bullet got hit in the gap, and then once I got out there, he'd already talked to Jason a little bit. It just felt with where he was at, I made the decision like, ‘okay, let's get him off the field’. We just need to make sure that we look at”

Buxton clearly looked to be in some discomfort on the warning track. He seemed to be moving well in the opener on the basepaths and in center field, but clearly something was up on Tuesday.

Impact on the Team

Losing Buxton for any stretch of time is a big loss for the Twins. He’s the star in their lineup, and though he’s been cold in the month of August, the impact he has on the others in the lineup is big. With Buxton in the Twins lineup this season, the team has a .735 OPS. Without Buxton in the lineup in 2026, the team has a .697 OPS. The lineup will take a hit by losing Buxton, especially with 15 straight games coming up against AL Central rivals.