Twins Become 1st Team in MLB History to Hit 300 HRs in a Season
Sep 26, 2019
Major League Baseball's season of unprecedented power continued Thursday as the Minnesota Twins became the first team in league history to smack 300 home runs in a single season.
Twins designated hitter Jonathan Schoop's seventh-inning, two-run shot off the Detroit Tigers' Jose Cisnero gave Minnesota 300 homers for the year:
MLB teams have averaged a historic high of 1.4 home runs per game entering Thursday, with only the Miami Marlins and Detroit Tigers hitting fewer than one per game.
The Twins lead the league in homers, but that may change shortly with the New York Yankees set to become the second team in MLB history to hit 300.
The Bronx Bombers have 299 dingers entering a season-closing three-game series at the Texas Rangers.
Minnesota has bigger concerns than holding on to the regular-season team home run lead, however, as the 99-60 Twins had already clinched the American League Central before their 10-4 win at Detroit.
Their playoff run will begin October 4 against an opponent to be determined, with the Yankees as the likeliest candidate.
Twins Clinch 2019 AL Central Title with Win vs. Tigers, Indians Loss
Sep 26, 2019
Minnesota Twins outfielders Max Kepler, left, Eddie Rosario, center, and Marwin Gonzalez celebrate after the Twins defeated the Chicago White Sox 14-4 in a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019, in Minneapolis. Kepler had three RBIs and Rosario had two. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
The Minnesota Twins' surprise 2019 regular season has extended to the postseason as the club officially clinched the American League Central crown with Wednesday's 5-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Indians' 8-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
The Twins last played playoff baseball in 2017, but it was over before it really began. They lost to the New York Yankees 8-4 in the American League Wild Card Game. Last season, Minnesota finished below .500 at 78-84 and fired manager Paul Molitor after four seasons in charge.
"This wasn't about our record this year," Twins executive vice president and chief baseball officer Derek Falvey said of the move. "This is about what we think is best as we continue to grow a young team in the direction toward being a championship contender."
And so, 38-year-old Rocco Baldelli was hired, and the young core blossomed sooner than expected. Jorge Polanco was named the first Twins All-Star starter since 2013. Starting pitchers Jose Berrios and Jake Odorizzi also received All-Star nods.
As a whole, Minnesota ranks second in batting average (.270). The Twins' rotation is 10th in ERA at 4.22. Eleven players have hit double-digit home runs, led by Nelson Cruz's 40 and Max Kepler's 36.
On Aug. 31, the Twins set an MLB record for most home runs by a team in a single season at 268. They are currently second with 297, two behind the Yankees.
Even with such a prolific regular season under their belts, the Twins have a challenge in front of them. Advancing to the World Series over the much more experienced likes of the Houston Astros or Yankees would blow every other 2019 feat out of the water.
The Twins last won the World Series in 1991. This time, Minnesota will have to make a World Series run without center fielder Byron Buxton (shoulder) and starting pitcher Michael Pineda (suspension).
The 2019 MLB postseason begins Oct. 1 with the National League Wild Card Game.
Twins' Byron Buxton to Undergo Surgery on Shoulder Injury; Out for Season
Sep 10, 2019
MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 01: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins looks on in the dugout against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on August 01, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Twins announced Tuesday that Buxton has been transferred to the 60-day injured list with a dislocated joint in his left shoulder. Buxton is having shoulder labrum surgery on Tuesday, according to Betsy Helfand of the Pioneer Press.
There was hope Buxton would be able to come back before this season ended. He started a rehab assignment on Aug. 25 at Low-A but only appeared in one game.
Per The Athletic'sDan Hayes, Minnesota paused Buxton's rehab after he experienced discomfort in his left shoulder twice in three days during batting practice.
Buxton originally suffered the injury Aug. 1 when he crashed into a wall trying to make a catch in the second inning against the Miami Marlins. The 25-year-old did appear in five games from Sept. 1-7 as a late-inning defensive replacement and pinch runner.
Injuries have unfortunately become a defining part of Buxton's career. The 2012 No. 1 overall pick has only played more than 100 games once in five MLB seasons. He will finish this season hitting .262/.314/.513 with 10 homers in 87 games.
Minnesota's outfield is also playing without Max Kepler due to shoulder inflammation, per Darren Wolfson of SKOR North. Eddie Rosario and Jake Cave will be the team's primary corner outfielders, with LaMonte Wade Jr. able to handle center field.
The Twins currently hold a five-game lead over the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central with 19 games remaining.
Twins' Michael Pineda Suspended 60 Games for Violating MLB's PED Policy
Sep 7, 2019
MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 01: Michael Pineda #35 of the Minnesota Twins reacts in the second inning against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on August 01, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Michael Pineda received a 60-game suspension from MLB for a violation of the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman.
MLB.com's Do-Hyoung Park reported Pineda tested positive for hydrochlorothiazide. ESPN's Jeff Passan added that MLB originally levied an 80-game suspension on the veteran right-hander but reduced the punishment to 60 games, "as a compelling case was made that a banned diuretic he used was not a masking agent for PEDs."
The MLB Players Association released a statement from Pineda, who said he "mistakenly took a medication that was given to me by a close acquaintance, who obtained it over-the-counter and assured me it would safely help me manage my weight." He added the Twins didn't sign off on his using the banned substance:
The Major League Baseball Players Association is releasing the following statement on behalf of Michael Pineda: pic.twitter.com/OauP9G1keI
The suspension came at a terrible time for Minnesota, which leads the American League Central by 5.5 games.
In 26 starts, Pineda was 11-5 with a 4.01 ERA and 4.02 FIP, perFanGraphs. He had been particularly effective in the second half, allowing just 18 earned runs (3.04 ERA) and striking out 56 batters in 53.1 innings.
Over Michael Pineda’s last 15 starts, he had a 3.10 ERA in 87 innings pitched. The #MNTwins were 11-4 in those games.
The Twins shouldn't have much trouble reaching the playoffs without Pineda.FanGraphsgives them a 99.6 percent chance of doing so and a 97.1 percent chance of claiming the division crown.
His absence will likely be felt much more when the playoffs arrive in October. Pineda has been Minnesota's best starting pitcher since turning his year around.
Offensively, the Twins stack up well against anybody. Theysetthe single-season record for home runs last Saturday.
But the cliche about good pitching beating good hitting often holds up in the postseason. A starting rotation built around Jose Berrios, Martin Perez and Jake Odorizzi will be a big question mark assuming Minnesota makes the playoffs.
39-Year-Old Nelson Cruz Is the Heart of MLB's Most Powerful Lineup Ever
Sep 4, 2019
On Aug. 31, Minnesota Twins catcher Mitch Garver smacked his second home run of the day in a game against the Detroit Tigers.
It was also the 268th home run hit by a Twins batter in 2019. With that, Minnesota set the MLB record for long balls by a club in a single season, surpassing the 2018 New York Yankees.
The Twins would go on to lose to Detroit, 10-7. But that's academic. Minnesota sits in first place with a comfortable six-game lead in the American League Central entering play Wednesday. Not coincidentally, these Twinkies are a power-hitting machine unlike any we've ever seen.
At the heart of it all? Ageless veteran Nelson Cruz.
Prior to the 2019 season, the perennially penny-pinching Twins signed Cruz to a one-year, $14.3 million contract. It was a short-term gamble.
Yes, Cruz was a six-time All-Star who clubbed 37 homers for the Seattle Mariners in 2018. He was also set to turn 39 in July and brought essentially zero defensive utility. Designated hitters within sight of their 40th birthdays don't inspire bushels of confidence.
Yet here Cruz is, crushing baseballs as per usual. In 101 games with the Twins, he's hit 35 homers with 92 RBI, a .310 average and a 1.034 OPS.
On Aug. 8, a ruptured ECU tendon in his left wrist appeared to put his season in jeopardy. But Cruz ultimately didn't need surgery and returned to action on Aug. 19.
The next day, he homered and drove in three runs in a 14-4 win over the Chicago White Sox. Despite the injury, he hit .397 with a 1.253 OPS in 73 August at-bats.
Diving deeper into the stats, Cruz leads both leagues in Statcast's barrels per plate appearance percentage at 12.9 percent. For comparison, Mike Trout is seventh at 10.9 percent, and Aaron Judge is eighth at 10.8 percent. Cruz also ranks third in average exit velocity at 93.8 mph, trailing only Miguel Sano (94.4 mph) and Judge (96.1 mph).
Even as he lurches toward the big four-oh, the guy can destroy baseballs.
He's not the only masher in the Twins lineup. Outfielder Max Kepler leads the team with 36 homers. Outfielder Eddie Rosario (27), third baseman Miguel Sano (27), Garver(26),first baseman C.J. Cron (24), second baseman Jonathan Schoop (21) and shortstop Jorge Polanco (20) have all reached or eclipsed the 20-dinger mark. Eight players on one team achieving the 20-homer feat sets another MLB record.
And old man Cruz is right in the thick of it all.
"Are we surprised that we're seeing it from him? Absolutely not," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters after Cruz swatted three home runs in an 11-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Aug. 3. "It's just what he does. He continues to go out there and produce at levels that nobody else does."
Cruz, it's worth noting, is more than a year older than Baldelli.
Here's the part where we acknowledge Cruz was suspended for 50 games in Aug. 2013 for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy. Call his career numbers tainted if you must.
Since 2013, however, Cruz has been under the same random-testing microscope applied to all modern big league players and has not been slapped with another suspension or even mentioned in a credible PED rumor.
He hit 40 homers for the Baltimore Orioles in 2014. During four campaigns with the Seattle Mariners between 2015 and 2018, he hit 44, 43, 39 and 37 homers, respectively. Now, he's got 35 with 24 games left to play.
Who's betting against another 40-tater finish?
More than that, Cruz is a veteran anchor for a young Twins team hoping to hang with the Houston Astros and Yankees among the Junior Circuit elite. His pop matters. But the intangibles matter, too.
Assistant hitting coach Rudy Hernandez called him "a veteran guy with the right attitude for the kids," per Andy McCullough of The Athletic.
"Nelly is the big brother to all these guys on this team," hitting coach James Rowson added, per McCullough. "A lot of the things that we do go through Nelly."
Of course, mentorship only goes so far. At a certain point, you have to lead by example. And Cruz is doing exactly that, overcoming age and injury blips to buttress the most homer-happy offense in major league history.
Can the Twins make a deep postseason run with an inexperienced core and without an established postseason ace? That remains to be seen.
But their bats will intimidate any opponent in a short series, and Cruz will be in the middle of it in his 15th big league season.
The contract Cruz signed with Minnesota last winter includes a $12 million team option and a $300,000 buyout for 2020. Barring the unexpected, it's a near certainty the Twins will exercise that option and bring him back for his age-39 campaign.
Why wouldn't they? He's silenced the doubters and shown he can handle Father Time's curveball over and over.
Eventually, his skills will fade, and he'll cede the spotlight to up-and-coming boppers, including some of the guys he's mentoring right now in Minnesota's clubhouse.
But as Cruz's lumber keeps proving, eventually isn't here yet.
Video: Twins Break MLB Single-Season Record with Mitch Garver's HR vs. Tigers
Aug 31, 2019
Minnesota Twins' Mitch Garver is greeted in the dugout after his solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Max Kepler leads the Minnesota Twins in home runs this season with 36, but it was Mitch Garver who led the team into uncharted territory Saturday night.
The 28-year-old catcher bookended the team's 10-7 loss to the Detroit Tigers with a solo home run to lead off the game and another solo shot in the top of the ninth. His second one set the MLB all-time record for most homers by a team in a single season at 268:
Kepler (36), Nelson Cruz (34), C.J. Cron (24) and Jorge Polanco (20) also went yard in the game. Overall, the Twins have 11 players with double-digit home runs in 2019.
Minnesota is hanging on to a 4.5-game lead over the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central. The 83-52 Twins last won the division in 2010 and last appeared in the postseason in 2017, when they lost the AL Wild Card to the New York Yankees.
Video: Watch Twins Set MLB Record for Most Road Home Runs in a Single Season
Aug 29, 2019
Minnesota Twins' Jake Cave (60) celebrates his seventh-inning home run against the Chicago White Sox during a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Mark Black)
The calendar hasn't turned to September yet, but the Minnesota Twins have already set the Major League Baseball record for the most road home runs in a single season.
Jake Cave's opposite-field shot against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday gave Minnesota 139 road round-trippers and a 7-0 lead over the Pale Hose:
— FanDuel Sports Network North (@FanDuelSN_NOR) August 29, 2019
Minnesota eventually won 10-5.
According to Matt Carlson of the Associated Press, the Twins broke the 2001 San Francisco Giants' previous road homer record of 138. Giants outfielder Barry Bonds hit an MLB-record 73 home runs that year.
The 82-51 Twins, who lead the American League Central, can now set their sights on the all-time single-season home run record held by the 2018 New York Yankees (267).
Minnesota leads MLB with 261 through 133 games, although it's conceivable as many as four teams break the 267-homer mark with the Yanks (250), Los Angeles Dodgers (231) and Houston Astros (226) all on pace to do so.
Nelson Cruz's Hot Streak Derailed as Wrist Injury Lands Twins Slugger on IL
Aug 9, 2019
Minnesota Twins' Nelson Cruz bats against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 2, 2019, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
The Minnesota Twins will be without Nelson Cruz again, as the designated hitter has landed on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist strain, the club announced Friday.
Cruz told reporters he has no pain but that something was torn in his wrist. He also added that he was able to hold a bat, per Dan Hayes of The Athletic.
Cruz hurt his wrist Thursday in a 7-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians when he swung and missed on a fastball in the fourth inning.
In a corresponding move, Minnesota recalled right-handed pitcher Cody Stashak from Triple-A Rochester to fill in the 25-man roster.
Nobody can replace what Cruz has brought to the Twins lineup. The 39-year-old is hitting .423 in August with 14 RBI and six home runs, as well as a 1.692 OPS. Since the All-Star break, Cruz has mashed 16 home runs, including two three-homer games.
Sound familiar?
Nelson Cruz has a 3HR game for the second time in 10 days 💥
Overall in 2019—his first season with the Twins—Cruz has a .294 batting average and 1.035 OPS with 76 RBI and 32 home runs.
This marks Cruz's second trip to the IL this year. On May 17, Minnesotaplacedthe six-time All-Star on the 10-day IL with the same injury. He returned to action June 4.
The timing of Cruz's latest wrist strain could be troublesome for the Twins. After Cleveland's win Thursday, the Indians sit just one game behind Minnesota for the American League Central lead.
For Friday's matchup with Cleveland, Miguel Sano will slide to DH for Cruz from his regular third base position.
The Minnesota Twins Are Legit American League Contenders
Aug 6, 2019
BR Video
The Minnesota Twins are first in the MLB in home runs since the All-Star break and their pitching is stifling batters, making them legit American League contenders.
Watch the video above for all of the statistics.
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Twins' Byron Buxton Put on IL, to Miss a 'Couple of Weeks' with Shoulder Injury
Aug 3, 2019
MIAMI, FLORIDA - AUGUST 01: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins reacts after striking out against the Miami Marlins at Marlins Park on August 01, 2019 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton has been placed on the 10-day injured list after suffering a minor separation of his left shoulder in a collision with the Marlins Park wall on Thursday, according to Phil Miller of the Star Tribune.
Twins manager Rocco Baldelli expects the rehab process to take a "couple of weeks," per Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. An update to his status is not expected for at least two weeks.
This marks the third time this season Buxton has been sidelined by injury. He was out for 13 games in June due to awrist injury, and he missed 10 games last month while on theconcussion list.
He was just seven games into his return from the concussion list before this latest setback.
Injuries have unfortunately plagued the 2012 second overall pick throughout his career. He missed the majority of the 2014 season due to a wrist injury and a concussion, and he appeared in just 28 games last season while dealing with a toe injury and migraines.
Despite being banged up on numerous occasions, Buxton was on pace for his most productive season to date. The 25-year-old is hitting a career-high .262 with 10 home runs, 30 doubles, four triples and 46 RBI. The speedster has 14 stolen bases in 17 attempts.
According toFanGraphs, the 2017 Gold Glove winner is tied for fifth among all major league outfielders in defensive runs saved (nine) this season.
Losing Buxton's defense and speed will be a tough blow for a Minnesota squad that is looking to get back to the postseason after missing out in 2018. Though the Twins once had a comfortable lead in the American League Central, they currently sit just three games up on the second-place Cleveland Indians at 67-42.
Max Kepler figures to fill in for Buxton in center while utility man Marwin Gonzalez handles right field.
