Twins' Byron Buxton raining all over Mariners trade dreams is for the best

Last season's trade deadline proved to be a pivotal one in making Mariners fans (finally) believe in ownership, as the front office acquired Josh Naylor and reunited with Eugenio Suárez. And the duo contributed towards the team getting closer than ever to that first World Series berth. As such, the fanbase is once again dreaming about which big-name targets Jerry Dipoto and company might snag this time around, but they shouldn't get their hopes up about Byron Buxton.

Earlier this month, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times made the compelling case for the Mariners to inquire with the Twins about Buxton. Among other things, Jude noted he would fill the M's need for another right-handed slugger, and potentially split time between right field and designated hitter. Certainly we can appreciate the suggestion of a player named a Silver Slugger just last season, who's hitting as well as ever and still retains the blazing speed that ranks him in the 99th percentile.

However, SoDo Mojo's Zachary Rymer decided to play contrarian in going against such a move. And by contrarian, we mean actually bringing some reality to the prospect. It's not that Rymer didn't like the idea of adding Buxton, just that it would require Dipoto going way outside his comfort zone, for a 32-year-old player who has been prone to injuries throughout his 12 seasons in the majors.

Straight from the horse's mouth - Byron Buxton isn't going anywhere

Now though, even debating whether or not the Mariners should make a move for Buxton is seemingly irrelevant. The two-time All-Star is going nowhere if he has his way, with him effectively repeating what he said last year about being a Minnesota Twin for life. As reported by The Athletic's Dan Hayes, Buxton responded to the question of if he's concerned by trade talk, with passionate comments which are well worth being relayed in full:

""I don’t give a f—,” Buxton said with a smile. “ End of the day, nobody’s in my shoes. Nobody can say anything about what I’m going to do. I know what I’m doing. The only way I’m getting out of here — they’re going to have to come talk to me and tell me something else. Simple as that. … I ain’t said nothing about leaving, nor will I. I’m a Twin.""

Byron Buxton

Buxton's stance is backed up by MLB.com's Twins beat writer, Matthew Leach. When asked about the 2012 second overall draft pick being moved, He said: "Short answer: No. Longer answer: Is it conceivable? Yes, but it’s a very long shot." Leach repeated the player's stance about wanting to wear one uniform his entire career, as well enjoying being a clubhouse leader for new manager Derek Shelton.

Ultimately, Buxton has a deep desire to win with the Twins, who despite their struggles are only 1.5 games out of a wild card spot. They're actually second in the American League in scoring, and are getting healthier. Royce Lewis is already back and hitting well, and should soon be followed by pitching trio Mick Abel, Bailey Ober and Kendry Rojas.

If, even after all this, there's still any Mariners fans hopeful that Dipoto can work some of his much-lauded magic, keep in mind Buxton has a full no-trade clause. He ultimately has complete control over his future and it will seemingly take a miracle for him to change his mind. So it's best for folks to move on and start dreaming about other potential big-name targets for the M's to go after.

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