Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton has returned to the injured list with a right hip impingement, the team announced Wednesday.
Buxton was activated July 20 after missing nine games -- as well as the All-Star Game after being named as a starter -- because of an injury to the same hip. He reaggravated the injury and left in the fifth inning of Minnesota's 3-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.
Buxton, 32, is batting .263 with 25 home runs, 45 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 82 games this season. However, he hasn't homered since June 22, and he has a .160 batting average with no extra-base hits in seven games since returning from his first IL stint.
In a corresponding move, the Twins recalled infielder Tristan Gray from Triple-A St. Paul.
Buxton has been a subject of speculation heading into the MLB trade deadline on Monday, but the Twins have said they have no plans of trading the veteran, who has repeatedly announced his desire to remain in Minnesota and has a full no-trade clause in his contract.
He signed a seven-year, $100 million deal with Minnesota in December 2021.
Entering Wednesday's game, the Twins (54-54) are two games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central and a half-game out of the final spot in the AL wild card race.
