KANSAS CITY, MO. — As the reeling Twins play deeper into the final month of the regular season and the games take on an even greater importance, it’s clear just how much the Twins are missing their stars, Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton.

They miss them on the field, where they’re two of the team’s best defenders. They miss them on at the plate, where they’re two of the team’s best hitters. And they miss them in the clubhouse, where the veterans are two of the team’s leaders.

The good news is that the Twins haven’t ruled either out for a return this season. The bad news is neither seem to be returning imminently.

“Good defense and great hitters. They’re having great years at the plate,” infielder Kyle Farmer said. “We’re just missing them on the field playing for us.”

Manager Rocco Baldelli did not have an update Sunday on Buxton, whom the Twins had originally hoped to have back this weekend. Buxton felt hip discomfort on Wednesday, which caused the Twins to halt his rehab assignment, and the Twins have been assessing him and working him out back home in Minneapolis since then.

As for Correa, the shortstop, who has been sidelined with plantar fasciitis in his right foot since before the all-star break in July, has reported feeling improvement while running in recent days.

Still, Baldelli is quick to not get ahead of himself when it comes to when Correa might make his return to the field.

“It’s some level of significant, but we still have a ways to go. We’ll see if we can build on that and keep moving in a positive direction. That’s good news,” Baldelli said. “Steady, positive steps would be exactly what we’re hoping for right now. We’ll see … how it all adds up as we get into the middle of the month.”

Duran’s struggles

When Baldelli summoned for Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning on Saturday, the manager had full confidence turning the game over to the hard-throwing reliever.

The move didn’t work out, with Duran getting one out before giving up a pair of hits and hitting a batter. Neither can explain it, but for some reason, while Duran has been so good in save situations, the reliever’s numbers in non-save situations leave much to be desired.

“I don’t know what happened,” Duran said. ‘I tried to go out there and do the best I can. I don’t know what happened this year. Maybe next year I’m better.”

When the Twins give him the ball in a save situation, Duran has a 1.93 earned-run average. His WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is 0.857, he’s striking out more batters and walking fewer. In non-save situations, his ERA is up at 6.98, and his WHIP is up to 1.500.

“We ask guys constantly to go play and pitch in spots that are maybe not exactly where they feel the most comfortable or where they want to play,” Baldelli said. “He has done it before and in past years, he has had some really great outings in the eighth inning for us and done a really nice job. I don’t know what to make of it this year.”

Briefly

First baseman Carlos Santana, who exited Saturday’s game early with an illness, did not play Sunday. “It’s very difficult to get him out of the lineup, and you normally know that if he can’t play, he’s in pretty rough shape,” Baldelli said.  … The Twins return home to face the Los Angeles Angels beginning on Monday. David Festa, Pablo López and Zebby Matthews are lined up to face the Angels.

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