MINNEAPOLIS -- It was abundantly clear last September that the Twins missed Byron Buxton's presence -- both on the field and off it -- as Minnesota embarked on the stretch run and pushed to its first division title since 2010.

So much so, in fact, that the Twins tried playing an injured Buxton exclusively as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement before they fully shut him down for the surgery to repair the labrum in his left shoulder, finally ending his season. Later in the month, when the Twins clinched the American League Central in Detroit, Marwin Gonzalez held up a phone with Buxton on video chat in the corner of the team's celebratory photo with the division championship banner so that the center fielder could be in the photo.

In only a smattering of games since Buxton's return from the injured list on Tuesday, he's shown the Twins why he's such an important component to any late-season success due to his unique skill set. He immediately won a game for the Twins with a home run robbery and go-ahead single, and on Saturday night, he beat out a routine grounder to shortstop for a walk-off infield hit.

He just helps this team find a way -- and he's here this September.

"The guys all feel like whenever Buck’s on the field, we’re going to win the game," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "He’s going to do something to push us toward winning the ballgame. He, in a big way, increases the confidence of everybody on the field, from the pitcher to all the guys playing around him. I don’t know of any other way to describe that."

Buxton's presence doesn't just give his team a needed boost; it also puts pressure on opposing pitchers in a way that few other players can. He saw that in José Cisnero's eyes as soon as he made contact on his walk-off hit Saturday night.

"You put the ball on the ground with my type of speed and anything can happen," Buxton said. "I kind of glanced, and like, you can just tell how big his eyes got."

Just about every element of Buxton's game has been there this season already -- the upped exit velocities, the added power with his newly muscular physique and the game-changing speed on the basepaths and on defense. The final element? His base-stealing, which has been limited to one steal and one caught-stealing this season. That's coming, too.

"I was not aware that he had just a couple of stolen base [attempts]," Baldelli said. "I would anticipate him finishing with a lot more than a couple."

Cruz scratched with hip tightness
Twins slugger and noted speedster Nelson Cruz was originally in Sunday's starting lineup as the starting designated hitter, but he was a late scratch in favor of Brent Rooker due to some mild hip tightness. Baldelli described it more as a recovery-oriented day off for Cruz, who entered Sunday tied for the team lead with appearances in 40 of the Twins' 41 games.

Cruz played both halves of Friday's doubleheader and also played all nine innings of Saturday's game. He legged out an infield single in the ninth inning and scored the walk-off run in the Twins' game-winning rally.

"Coming in today after the doubleheader, after the night game going into the day game, I think he just woke up a little bit stiff, and there’s no reason for us to not give him the time," Baldelli said.

Littell reinstated from IL; Stashak likely to follow soon
The Twins reinstated Zack Littell from the 10-day injured list on Sunday and optioned him to the club's alternate training site in St. Paul, Minn., following his recovery from right elbow inflammation. Baldelli indicated Saturday that Cody Stashak's return is also imminent, with the rookie right-hander's recovery from lower back tightness nearly complete.

Stashak had blossomed into a trusted option for Baldelli and pitching coach Wes Johnson in the middle-to-late innings and had a 3.86 ERA in seven games before he hit the IL on Aug. 13. Littell had a 9.95 ERA in six games before his injury.