MILWAUKEE — Byron Buxton was getting ready to leave the dugout to head out to center field for the bottom of the sixth inning when he heard his teammate Pablo López calling his name, drawing his attention.

“Get Kep’s glove,’” López told him, referring to right fielder Max Kepler, who had grounded out to end the top of the inning.

Just as Buxton took the glove, he saw a horde of racing sausages heading in his direction, one almost about to plow into him. The Twins’ center fielder quickly darted back into the dugout, narrowly evading a collision with Brat, a running bratwurst.

“I get ready to turn around and it was like, ‘I’m going to have to take a charge if I can’t get out the way,’” Buxton said. “Luckily, he wasn’t running as fast as I thought he was.”

Sausage No. 1 was *thisclose* to taking out Byron Buxton. pic.twitter.com/UT8xOqA9a5

— Betsy Helfand (@betsyhelfand) April 2, 2024

The sausage race, which is held each game at American Family Field, started just beyond the Twins’ third base dugout. It’s different at Target Field, Buxton noted, where they also run a mascot race but the racers start in the outfield and stop before reaching the third base dugout so a potential collision with players isn’t in play.

“I’m so focused on the game, getting Kep his glove (that) I’m not worried about the outside stuff,” he said. “Kind of scared me.”

It was not lost Buxton, a longtime spokesperson for Sheboygan Sausage, that he was nearly run over by a competitor, but the Twins’ center fielder was able to laugh about the close call without his teammates after the fact.

And he definitely heard some barbs from them.

“I think it would’ve been great if he got run over by the bratwurst,” joked catcher Ryan Jeffers, standing nearby Buxton. “It would’ve been a way better story.”

Jeffers paused a beat.

“As long as he’s OK,” Jeffers said. “I mean, the bratwurst was OK.”

Which, of course, evoked an incredulous response from his teammate.

“The bratwurst? What about me?” Buxton asked. “That was a train collision because if I took one (sausage) out, I’m taking out at least two more.”

Paddack eager for start

When Chris Paddack takes the mound on Wednesday at American Family Field, it will have been 696 days since his last start. That’s nearly 700 days of rehabbing, working, waiting.

Paddack returned at the end of last season, after recovering from his second Tommy John surgery that he underwent in May 2022, and pitched out of the bullpen. But Wednesday, when he starts a major league game, it will mark another milestone — the completion of his long path back and the start of his new journey.

“It’s been quite some time since I toed the rubber to start a game,” Paddack said. “I’m super excited. All my hard work has paid off. I’ve prepared for this moment.”

Sure has.

While Tommy John surgery returns usually take about a year, Paddack’s process was lengthier because it was the second time he had required a ulnar collateral ligament repair.

He returned on Sept. 26 last year, pitching twice out of the bullpen in the regular season and then twice in the playoffs, an experience he has said changed his career. Coming out of the bullpen last year, being given just minutes to warm up, not knowing what situation he might be thrown into, simplified things for him that he hopes to take back with him as he transitions back into starting.

“I think the biggest thing, taking in from what I learned in the bullpen and (pitching coach) Pete (Maki) reminded me every start day this spring, is, ‘Go out there and be a bullpen guy for one inning at a time,’” Paddack said. “Next thing you know, you’re in the sixth. … Just going out from pitch number one and I’m throwing my best stuff. I’m not saving stuff for the second, third time through the lineup. I’m not saving stuff for the situation of the game. It’s coming out there and competing and winning every pitch.”

Briefly

Kepler returned the lineup on Tuesday after leaving Thursday’s game early and then missing the final two games over the weekend. The right fielder had fouled a ball off his leg. Kepler went 1 for 4 on Tuesday.

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