Buxton (right hip) out of starting lineup for fourth straight game

NEW YORK -- Byron Buxton remained out of the Twins’ starting lineup for a fourth consecutive game on Friday as he continues to manage a right hip impingement.

“Hopefully, we’ll get him to do more things today,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said before Friday’s series opener at Yankee Stadium. “The off-day was very helpful. And then, we’ll just kind of see where we’re at from there."

Buxton, 32, last played on June 28.

Buxton missed five games in mid-May with similar hip discomfort that specifically troubled him while running. This time, though, Buxton underwent an MRI after his swing felt off during last weekend’s series against the Rockies.

“I just wasn’t rotating through the body,” Buxton said earlier this week in Houston. “I think that’s just my body protecting itself from me pulling a lat or whatever the situation could have been. My body was protecting that.”

Minnesota will continue to take a day-to-day approach as Buxton works his way back. Shelton said he hopes to have more of an update after Buxton “goes through his day.”

Buxton is hitting .268/.325/.573 with 25 home runs and an .898 OPS through 73 games. He’s a strong candidate to be named to his third All-Star team -- and perhaps earn his second starting nod -- when rosters are announced on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

In Buxton’s absence, utilityman Ryan Kreidler is starting a fourth consecutive game in center field.

So far, the Twins offense has not missed a beat with Buxton sidelined. Minnesota scored 17 runs across its three-game series against the Astros. On the season, the Twins are averaging 4.88 runs per game, which is sixth most in the Majors.