Talks stalled, but Buxton says he wants to stay with Twins

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Byron Buxton doesn't have a new contract yet. He doesn't have a target return date from his current injury, either.

The Minnesota Twins center fielder still has a strong desire to remain with the organization, however, despite his eligibility for free agency following next season.

Buxton said Monday that negotiations on an extension were still open, even though his agent rejected the latest offer from the team last week.

“Everybody knows I want to be here. It’s just one of those things. We didn’t come to an agreement, but it’s not the first time it’s happened. We’ve been in numerous conversations before, and it’s not the end. You never know how many more chances they have to communicate with each other,” Buxton said. "I’m here with the Twins. I’m under contract with the Twins next year, and hopefully I’m with the Twins to end my career. It’s unfortunate at the moment.”

Buxton has missed the last five weeks with a broken left pinky finger after being hit by a pitch there, the most recent bout of bad luck that has dogged him and the Twins during his career that started as the second overall pick in the 2012 draft. He missed 39 games with a strained right hip prior to that, with only three days between injured list stays.

For a player who has appeared in more than 92 games only once in seven major league seasons, avoiding frustration about the business side of baseball is undoubtedly easier.

“For me, it’s more about me getting back out here to compete with my teammates and get back in the groove of playing again. Obviously, I’ve been out a while, so it’s not really my main focus right now,” Buxton said.

The two sides have talked about an extension for awhile. The Athletic, citing unnamed sources, reported Sunday that Buxton's camp declined an $80...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Talks-stalled-but-Buxton-says-he-wants-to-stay-16341544.php