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Twins become fastest team to hit 200 home runs in MLB season

Mark Townsend
Yahoo Sports Contributor

The Minnesota Twins made history Friday night, becoming the fastest team to hit 200 home runs in a single MLB season.

Max Kepler hit the milestone blast during the second inning of Minnesota’s 103rd game. The previous fastest team to 200 homers was the 2005 Texas Rangers.

The Twins not only broke that record, they shattered it by reaching 200 homers in 19 less games.

They’re also on pace to crush the single-season home run record of 267, which was set by the New York Yankees in 2018. Entering the weekend, the Twins were on pace to hit 316 home runs this season. Nelson Cruz kept them on the pace by hitting his fourth homer in two games later in Friday’s 6-2 win against the White Sox.

Home runs in bunches

The Twins offense has been a relentless force all season. They’re on a hot streak right now too, having hit 17 home runs in the four games leading up to Friday. They combined with the Yankees to hit 20 home runs during a three-game series earlier this week. That had only happened five other times in MLB history.

Minnesota hit five home runs in Thursday’s win against the Chicago White Sox. That gives them nine games with at least five home runs this season. That, too, is an MLB record.

The Twins still have 60 games remaining to add to that record.

Minnesota’s team home run leaders

The Minnesota Twins became the fastest team to hit 200 home runs in a season, needing just 103 games. Team home run leader Max Kepler hit No. 200. (AP)
The Minnesota Twins became the fastest team to hit 200 home runs in a season, needing just 103 games. Team home run leader Max Kepler hit No. 200. (AP)

Ten different Twins have hit at least 10 home runs this season. That group includes names you’re likely familiar with, and some others you might not know but certainly will soon.

Kepler is one you might not know. He leads the team with 27 home runs. That includes a stretch in which he homered in five straight at-bats against Cleveland Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer. Kepler hit 56 total home runs over his first three MLB seasons, and has quietly become one of the game’s most underrated hitters.

Right behind him is Nelson Cruz. The veteran designated hitter is fourth among active hitters with 386 career home runs. Cruz posted his first career three-homer game Thursday against the White Sox, giving him 25 on the season.

Eddie Rosario (22), Mitch Garver (19), C.J. Cron (18), Miguel Sanó (17), Jorge Polanco (15), Marwin Gonzalez (12) and Jason Castro (10) round out that group. Byron Buxton, who returned from the injured list Thursday, is on the cusp with nine home runs.

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