Byron Buxton injury update; Twins scratch Trevor Larnach Wednesday

Twins star Byron Buxton is on track to potentially return from the IL when Minnesota begins a series against the Royals at Target Field on Friday night.

Buxton has been sidelined since July 26 due to left ribcage inflammation. He started hitting on Tuesday, hit again on Wednesday, and is "upbeat," according to beat writer Dan Hayes. "If he keeps trending this way, he thought he'd be ready in a couple of days," Hayes wrote.

The Twins will be cautious with their oft-injured best player. But if he's ready to go on Friday night, that could lead to a pretty cool moment. Both before and after the Twins' shocking trade deadline, Buxton has made it clear that he wants to — and plans to — play the rest of his career in Minnesota. As a result, it wouldn't surprising if he gets some sort of ovation from the home crowd in his first at-bat since the deadline, whether that's on Friday or later in the series.

Despite missing some time, Buxton is still on pace to have the best season of his career. He's hit .282 with 23 home runs, 17 stolen bases, and a .905 OPS while playing excellent defense in center field. Heading into this weekend, Buxton will have played in 85 of the Twins' 114 games.

Larnach scratched

Trevor Larnach was scratched with "left side soreness" for Wednesday's series finale in Detroit. He was initially set to hit seventh and play left field. Instead, Kody Clemens shifts from first base to left, with Edouard Julien joining the lineup to play first base.

Larnach homered in each of the first two games of this series in Detroit, giving him 15 on the season. He's been basically an replacement-level corner outfielder this season (0.2 WAR, 99 OPS+).

It's a 12:10 p.m. CT game against the Tigers.

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