Byron Buxton is out with head injury; Minnesota Twins plan to call up Carson McCusker

MILWAUKEE – Byron Buxton was put on the seven-day concussion injured list Saturday afternoon, joining Carlos Correa on the IL after their collision fielding a fly ball Thursday.

Buxton, who was under MLB’s concussions protocols for the previous two days, went on the injured list for concussion-like symptoms in 2019 and missed time in 2020 after he was hit in the head with a pitch and subsequently showed symptoms consistent with a brain injury.

“There’s a reason why this is the type of injury that we have these types of protocols for and many, many steps and clearances that you have to go through,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “There’s not an easy way to diagnose, treat and monitor it. You have to be thoughtful.”

The Twins are planning to promote 6-8 outfielder Carson McCusker to their roster, but he didn’t arrive in Milwaukee before Saturday’s game at American Family Field. McCusker, 26, was batting .350 with 10 homers and 36 RBI in 38 games at Class AAA St. Paul this year.

Buxton and Correa were walking around the Twins clubhouse Saturday, but they were unavailable to speak with reporters as a part of MLB’s concussion protocols. The two crashed into each other, hitting their heads, when they converged on a fly ball in shallow center field Thursday in Baltimore.

The Twins will have to navigate at least a week without their two highest-paid position players. Buxton was batting .307 with seven homers and 19 RBI over his past 23 games, while Correa hit .287 with two homers and nine RBI across the same span.

Correa “is going to take care of himself,” Baldelli said Saturday before the Twins announced Buxton was put on the IL. “He’s probably going to be off of his feet more than he would like over this period of time, but he also knows it’s important to do this the right way. But he’ll still be there to both lend support and help out any way he can.”

Willi Castro, who exited Friday night’s game after he fouled a pitch off his right knee, woke up feeling “way better” than he expected Saturday.

“It’s the first time I got hit there,” said Castro, who underwent an X-ray, which did not reveal a fracture. “Good thing nothing was broken. They’re probably going to give me a couple days off. I’ll be back.”

The Twins have had five position players leave games with injuries since Wednesday. Before Castro exited Friday’s game, Baldelli said Castro’s versatility wasn’t just a luxury but a necessity.

“It’s one of those years, you see a lot of people getting injured,” Castro said. “It’s not just us.”

Zebby Matthews had already missed a phone call from St. Paul manager Toby Gardenhire when he saw his manager had sent him a text message.

Once Matthews finally returned Gardenhire’s phone call, he learned he was headed to the big leagues to make his season debut Sunday in Milwaukee.

“I was like, I probably should’ve answered that,” Matthews said. “It was definitely a good phone call to have there in Des Moines. As much as I love Iowa, love Des Moines, I’m happy to be here.”

Matthews, who had a 1.93 ERA in seven minor league starts with the Saints, is pitching with more velocity this year and said his off-speed pitches feel sharper. He has struck out 38 and walked nine over 32⅔ innings.

There is some added pressure, Matthews admitted, when joining a team that had won 12 games in a row.

“You don’t want to be the guy to end the streak, obviously,” Matthews said. “Everyone in AAA is excited. Every time we come in the locker room, we’re like, ‘Holy crap, they won again? This is nuts.’ ”