Byron Buxton is regarded as one of the most talented players in MLB when he’s healthy, which unfortunately has been a serious issue for him.
He was plenty healthy Thursday, and as a result, two baseballs suffered greatly.
The Minnesota Twins slugger teed off on Boston Red Sox opener Justin Garza in the first inning, hitting a 466-foot homer to deep left in Target Field.
In his very next at-bat, Buxton hit a shot that traveled almost exactly as far, a 465-foot blast off Red Sox reliever Brandon Walter.
Make that 931 feet worth of homers for Byron Buxton.
pic.twitter.com/xM8czc4c2a — MLB (@MLB) June 22, 2023
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Buxton becomes the first player to hit two 460-foot home runs in the same game since Boston’s Mike Napoli did it in 2013.
Buxton seemed unimpressed with the feat after the Twins’ 6-0 win.
“They all count the same, so if they go over, they all feel good,” Buxton said (via MLB.com). “It doesn’t matter as long as we win.”
But fans were impressed. They generally agreed that, when healthy, Buxton is a beast.
This is why you ride the lows with Buxton. When he gets hot, he’s one of the best. Hopefully he can keep it rolling.
— Erick Amberg (@ErickAmberg) June 22, 2023
Buxton has been in a slump, slashing just .215/.315/.459 with 13 home runs this season, but back-to-back shots like he hit Thursday could be a sign he’s back in sync.