Byron Buxton hits 50 HR? Hunter Goodman breaks NL ...
Key takeaways
- Don't be surprised ... if Minnesota Twins OF Byron Buxton hits 50 home runs this season
- Buxton hit 35 home runs last season, but that wasn't the biggest surprise among his numbers.
- This version of Buxton, who enters Thursday having played in 57 of his team's 69 games -- hey, we'll take it -- is second in baseball behind only Tampa Bay Rays OF Cedric Mullins in fly ball percentage at 56.5%.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
If Byron Buxton can stay on the field, there should be a lot more dugout celebrations in his future. Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Eric Karabell Jun 11, 2026, 10:14 AM ETClose Eric Karabell is a senior writer for fantasy baseball, football and basketball at ESPN. Eric is a charter member of FSWA Hall of Fame and author of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments".Follow on XMultiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions Each week in MLB is its own story -- full of surprises, both positive and negative -- and fantasy managers must decide what to believe and what not to believe moving forward. Perhaps we can help. If any of these thoughts come true... don't be surprised!
Don't be surprised ... if Minnesota Twins OF Byron Buxton hits 50 home runs this season
Buxton hit 35 home runs last season, but that wasn't the biggest surprise among his numbers. No, the shock was that he managed to participate in 126 games and bat a career-high 542 times. He is 32. To say injuries have been a problem over the course of his career greatly understates the issue. Buxton has a lifetime .493 slugging percentage, which is impressive (ranked 22nd among active, qualified players), but he unfortunately became known for his lack of durability. Buxton always possessed power, and this season he seems quite focused on proving it, even more so than in 2025.