Byron Buxton moves out of leadoff spot, hits go-ahead home run in Twins' 6-4 win over Tigers

Bobby Nightengale, The Minnesota Star Tribune on Jun 10, 2026

Published in Baseball

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Byron Buxton is bothered by how much he’s struggled to hit with runners in scoring position this season, something he finds difficult to explain after he excelled in those same situations last year.

Maybe Minnesota Twins manager Derek Shelton figured out the solution Wednesday.

Buxton was moved to second in the lineup, the first time he’s hit anywhere besides leadoff since April 5, and Buxton drilled a go-ahead, three-run homer in the fifth inning to propel the Twins to a 6-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

The Twins, who snapped a three-game losing streak, have won six of their last seven games against Detroit.

It was Buxton’s 20th home run of the season, tied for the third most in the majors, and just the second homer he’s hit with a runner on second or third base. He entered the game batting .125 in 40 at-bats with runners in scoring position, one of the worst marks in the league.

With the score tied in the fifth inning, Tigers left-hander Framber Valdez plunked Alex Jackson and Austin Martin with pitches. Buxton, who hit a ground ball that turned into an out at the plate in the third inning when batting with two runners in scoring position, crushed a first-pitch changeup for a 413-foot homer.

Buxton knew it was a homer immediately, flipping his bat aside as soon as he completed his swing. Twins bullpen catcher Anderson De La Rosa caught the ball in with his cap.

Shelton shook up the batting order, using all right-handed hitters against Valdez, with Buxton dropping one spot and Orlando Arcia batting cleanup for the first time in his 11-year career. Buxton has six leadoff homers this year, so one goal was to give Buxton more opportunities batting with runners on base. And it worked immediately.

Both starting pitchers had to sit through a 67-minute rain delay in the middle of the first inning, the tarp unfurled after Valdez breezed through his first three batters in 11 pitches.

Royce Lewis clubbed a solo homer in the second inning, a 444-foot blast on a 95-mph sinker that sat over the middle of the plate. It was Lewis’ 50th career homer, and his first in the big leagues since April 24.

After the Twins left the bases loaded in the third inning, which included Ryan Kreidler thrown out at the plate when Buxton hit a ground ball to third base, Buxton made up for it with his fifth-inning homer. Buxton, who stole second in the third inning, tied Torii Hunter for the most games (19) in Twins history with a homer and a stolen base.

The Twins added two runs in the seventh inning after Martin hit a leadoff single and Buxton followed with a walk. Josh Bell hit a two-out RBI single off Tigers lefty reliever Drew Sommers and Brooks Lee scored on a wild pitch.

The Twins held down Detroit’s lineup with their scheduled bullpen game, but they almost beat themselves with their own mistakes. Mike Paredes, who made his first major league start, allowed one run in three innings. He issued a two-out walk to Kevin McGonigle in the third inning before Gleyber Torres lined an RBI double to center past a diving Buxton.

Andrew Morris labored through a 39-pitch fifth inning where he gave up two runs. Zach McKinstry reached when second baseman Luke Keaschall made a high throw that pulled Lewis off the first base bag. A walk and a single loaded the bases with one out.

Kerry Carpenter drove in two runs when he hit a ground ball that bounced past Keaschall, who dropped to a knee trying to field the potential double play ball.

Turning point for Twins bullpen

Morris, despite a couple of defensive misplays, preserved a one-run lead in the fifth inning when he struck out Dillon Dingler and Riley Greene with two runners on base.

Twins lefty reliever Anthony Banda, who pitched 1 2/3 innings, stranded two runners he inherited in the seventh inning. He struck out Dingler, who homered twice Tuesday, with a 96-mph fastball.

Dingler hit an RBI single off Yoendrys Gómez in the ninth inning before Greene struck out with two runners on base.

Abel makes rehab start

Mick Abel took a positive step toward rejoining the Twins rotation when he pitched three scoreless innings during a Class AAA rehab start Wednesday.

Abel struck out five, permitting two hits and zero walks during his 47-pitch outing in Toledo, Ohio. He touched 98 mph with his fastball.

The St. Paul Saints earned a 12-1 win in Toledo. Matt Wallner, Gabriel Gonzalez, Aaron Sabato and Kyler Fedko all hit solo homers off Justin Verlander, who pitched 5 2/3 innings in his own rehab start.

Up next

The Twins will complete their three-game road series in Detroit at 1:10 p.m. ET Thursday. Zebby Matthews (2-3, 4.15 ERA) is scheduled to make his sixth start of the season, opposed by Tigers right-hander Keider Montero (2-4, 3.95).

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