In a somewhat surprising move, the Twins optioned rookie center fielder Byron Buxton to Triple-A Rochester on Monday, three days into his rehab assignment.
Buxton, who last played in the majors on June 24 because of a sprained left thumb, started his rehab stint on Friday with the Red Wings. He went 5 for 12 (.417) with two walks, two runs, two runs batted in and a combined on-base/slugging percentage of 1.000 over the weekend in Charlotte, N.C.
Buxton is likely to be recalled for September roster expansion at the latest. With Aaron Hicks showing signs of life in the majors, the Twins opted to potentially burn one of Buxton's three option years while saving up to 17 days of accrued service time.