KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Byron Buxton said he would be OK after getting hit by a pitch on his left knee and exiting early in the Twins’ 5-1 victory against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Buxton, who led off the game with his 30th home run, went down to the ground for a few moments after right-hander Michael Lorenzen hit him with a 92 mph sinker in the fifth inning. Buxton stayed in the game to run the bases, and he returned to center field for the bottom of the fifth and the sixth. By the seventh, the pain was telling him to cut it short.

But he sounded optimistic that he’d be ready to play Monday at Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels.

“It got me good enough to come out,” Buxton said. “I tried to fight a little bit through it, but just trying to be smart and make sure I’m ready for tom

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