CHICAGO — Byron Buxton prefers to play center field, but for now, he’ll settle for being in the Minnesota Twins’ lineup.Nursing a sore but improving right hip flexor muscle, and apparently a bum right shoulder, too, Buxton was again limited to designated hitting duties Wednesday. In an attempt to help Buxton navigate the soreness and avoid a setback, the Twins largely have largely used him as their DH since he returned to the lineup more than a week ago.Though in previous seasons Buxton acknowledged he doesn’t like to DH because it prevents him from making an impact as a defender, he’s OK with the current setup. Buxton provided the Twins’ lone bright spot in a 15-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night, leading off the game with a solo home run at Rate Field.“It’s probably me being more cautious than (Buxton) being more cautious,” Twins manager Derek Shelton said. “In this case right now, I just feel it’s better for him to make sure he’s in our lineup. … Right now, in my mind, it’s best for him to DH.”Even when he’s not at full strength, Buxton is one of the biggest offensive difference makers in the league.Playing more games in 2025 than he had in all but one previous season, Buxton finished with a career-high 35 home runs and 24 stolen bases. Since 2019, Buxton’s OPS+ is 132.But the two-time All-Star has been even better this season, hitting .259/.319/.579 and appearing in 47 of the team’s first 56 games. Buxton homered on the second pitch thrown by White Sox rookie David Sandlin in his major-league debut Wednesday, the 17th round-tripper he’s hit this season.Buxton is on pace for 81 extra-base hits, 18 more than his career best of 63 set last season.Following Tuesday’s 11-inning victory, one Buxton helped spark with a walk ahead of Brooks Lee’s three-run, game-winning double, the veteran recognized how imperative it is he remain in the Twins’ lineup. Even though he’d like to play defense and drown out any noise associated with a rough at-bat, Buxton is willing to be relegated to DH for now.“I feel better,” Buxton said. “Obviously, I want to be playing outfield and separate my mind a little bit more. Just to be able to play and still be able to do the things I want to do, gotta take it. That’s the positive side of what we’re working with. Sooner or later it will be good.”As he tracked Lee’s double Tuesday, Buxton demonstrated how close to healthy he feels by racing around the bases. On the play, Buxton, who described himself as “off to the races,” nearly caught up to the speedy Luke Keaschall, who began the play at second base.Still, Buxton is trying to iron out issues on how to slow down. After crossing home plate on Lee’s hit, Buxton made a turn and ran to the far end of the Twins’ dugout to gradually slow down, as opposed to stopping quickly and potentially aggravating his hip issue.“We’re working on that brake system,” Buxton said. “It’s good though. Every day it’s progressing, feeling better. Keep going day by day and go from there. Obviously, it’s May, so I don’t want to do something stupid, which is hard. They’re keeping me contained. I’m telling them all the time, ‘Put me out there. I’ll be fine. Put me out there.’ They’re like, ‘You’re not going to be fine because you’re going to go out there 100 percent and you’re not where you want to be.’ It’s understanding the process. They know me pretty well. They know where I want to be, so I’m trusting the process and to still be able to play and contribute to the team. That’s positive. Take it one day at a time. Stay positive. Keep going.”While Buxton’s hip is progressing nicely enough, Shelton identified the outfielder’s throwing shoulder as a bigger reason he’s been limited to DH.Since returning to the lineup May 19, Buxton has appeared as DH six times in seven games. His only start in center field came in Saturday’s win at Boston, a game in which Buxton apparently dinged his shoulder sliding into second base on a pitch that was fouled off. After Wednesday’s loss, Buxton was seen wearing an ice pack on his throwing shoulder in the visiting clubhouse.With Buxton limited, the Twins are rolling with several different players in center field.After receiving approval from outfield coach Grady Sizemore on Wednesday, Kody Clemens made his first career start — and only his second appearance — in center field. The Twins have also used James Outman, Ryan Kreidler and Austin Martin in center this season, though Shelton said Martin is likely to remain in right to continue getting repetitions at his new position.Shelton is confident he’ll know when Buxton is ready to resume patrolling the outfield.“We communicate a ton,” Shelton said. “(I know how) valuable he is to us, and if there’s times that we’re going to err on the side of him being in the lineup, and it’s at DH, and we have to adjust, then I’m going to make that decision and take that upon myself. The one thing that Buck does really well is he articulates where he’s at and (how) he feels. He would prefer to play center field — 100 percent every day would prefer to be out there.”Prielipp’s control costly in blowout lossConnor Prielipp issued three leadoff walks in Wednesday’s loss, two of which came around to score. Throw in eight hits allowed, and the Chicago White Sox had their way with Prielipp and the Twins in the 15-2 drubbing.“Just bad execution overall and just not good,” said Prielipp, who allowed six earned runs and took the loss. “It just can’t happen. … They made me pay.”Shelton wasn’t pleased with much about his team’s effort. Clemens provided the Twins’ other run when he led off the eighth inning with a solo homer, a long ball that snapped a stretch of 21 straight batters retired by White Sox pitching.Travis Adams surrendered two home runs, the first homers yielded by a Twins reliever since rookie John Klein allowed one May 8.“We didn’t play good,” Shelton said. “We’ve played really well for a stretch of time, and sometimes you have games like that. There’s not much we did well overall.”The Twins are seeking a series split with Chicago in Thursday’s finale.The Twins will send Kendry Rojas to the mound to start what’s expected to be a bullpen game.Originally, the Twins planned for Taj Bradley to start. But with the team in the middle of 17 straight games without an off day, and Bradley just off the injured list, the Twins pushed his next start back to Friday in Pittsburgh.