Roster moves, but for good reasons: Buxton and Gonzalez off of IL

After the past couple weeks of bad roster move news, a couple moves made today by the Minnesota Twins will have some fans feeling a bit better. The team announced today that they are bringing Byron Buxton and Marwin Gonzalez off of the Injured List.

Buxton had missed two weeks after being hit on his right wrist by a pitch at home against the Kansas City Royals on June 14. Rocco Baldelli had stated during Buxton’s time on the IL that they were going to take their time with Buxton to ensure that he’s at 100% before they bring him back, and so it appears that he’s at 100%. Buxton has been hitting at career-high levels before his stint on the IL: .266/.324/.527, 21 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 38 RBI, 10 SB, 123 OPS+.

Gonzalez had left the game on June 18 (the 17-inning rumble with the Boston Red Sox) with a strained right hamstring. The super-utility player has been put up a .255/.323/.420 slash with 9 homers and 26 RBI so far this season.

The corresponding moves for this was to send down outfielders Jake Cave to the cave for Jakes as well as LaMonte Wade Jr. to AAA Rochester. Cave was in his third stint with the major-league club this season. In this cup of coffee, he went 4-for-33 with a homer and 15 strikeouts (the outfielder version of Miguel Sano, amirite????????). Wade Jr. saw his first major-league action yesterday, going 1-for-2 and being hit by a pitch in his first at-bat.

Everyday players that remain on the roster include fan-favorite and teen heart-throb utility-man Willians Astudillo, on the 10-day IL as of two days ago for a strained left oblique; Eddie Rosario was part of yesterday’s roster moves and was placed on the 10-day IL with a sprained ankle.