Byron Buxton might be taking some inspiration from LeBron James and heading to The City of Brotherly Love.
The Minnesota Twins star Buxton would waive his no-trade clause to come to the Philadelphia Phillies, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports this week. Salisbury says that Buxton apparently made that revelation to a Phillies player last summer.
Buxton is 32 years old now but is still putting up prime-level production. After hitting .264 with 35 home runs and 83 RBIs last season, Buxton is hitting .272 with 25 home runs and 45 RBIs through just 79 games this season.
While Buxton has missed some time this year with a hip injury, he is stringing together one of the healthier stretches of his pro career, even while still playing primarily in center field rather than at designated hitter. As such, Buxton’s trade value is at a relative peak right now.
Meanwhile, Minnesota is once again on track to miss the playoffs this season. The three-time MLB All-Star Buxton, a lifelong Twin, has even reportedly grown frustrated with the team.
Buxton holds a full no-trade clause in his contract (which runs through 2028), so that severely restricts the list of potential suitors for him. But it looks like the Phillies, who currently hold a Wild Card spot at 56-48, might just be in play for Buxton along with some of their other well-known trade targets.
