Byron Buxton Reportedly Could 'Reconsider' Waiving No-Trade Clause, Eyes Contender

Star outfielder Byron Buxton stuck around despite the Minnesota Twins pivoting toward a rebuild at the MLB trade deadline. Now, he might be wavering in his commitment to the organization.

The Athletic's Dan Hayes reported Wednesday that Buxton "wants to play for a winner and may reconsider his stance for certain clubs if the Twins continue breaking up their roster, potentially by trading starting pitchers Joe Ryan or Pablo López."

The two-time All-Star has a no-trade clause that affords him control over his future.

Hayes reported in August that multiple teams had reached out to Buxton's agent to gauge his interest in a trade, only for the 31-year-old to say he was staying in Minnesota.

"Where I come from, your word means everything," he said of his mindset, per Hayes. "My track record of how I'm still here and how I got here is different. You've gotta have a lot of people behind you. Not just the family, but everybody. Minnesota, they did that. That's home."

Nobody would blame Buxton for having a change of heart.

The Twins lost 92 games in 2025. They just hired a manager, Derek Shelton, who had a .410 winning percentage in six years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pohlad family isn't selling the team after all, which promises more of the same in terms of the payroll.

Hayes wrote how "the Twins refuse to say the word 'rebuild,'" but it's tough to find another word that describes their present position.

In addition to being on the wrong side of 30, Buxton has battled injury issues throughout his career. The 126 games he logged in 2025 were his second-most in a single season.

If playing October baseball is a priority, then he should push for a change of scenery sooner rather than later.

Buxton would likely have a robust market as well. Despite his aforementioned durability concerns, a lot of teams would jump at the chance to get a good defensive center fielder who boasted a .264/.327/.551 slash line this past year.