Minnesota Twins

StaTuesday: Ervin Santana's timely hitting rare for AL pitchers

Published Aug. 8, 2017 12:42 p.m. ET

Ryan Lund

Minnesota Twins pitcher Ervin Santana has just two hits this season.

The first came in game 53, back on June 9, when his three-run double helped the Twins to a 4-0 win over the San Francisco Giants.

The second dropped nearly 100 games later, when Santana drove in two runs with a single in a 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres.

That's already enough to make him one of the most prolific Twins pitchers of the last 40 years at the plate.

More importantly, Santana's five RBI are the most by an American League pitcher -- anyAmerican League pitcher -- since the designated hitter rule came about in 1973.

Most RBI by an American League pitcher in the DH era (1973-Present)

Player	RBI	Year	Tm	G	AB	R	H
Ervin Santana	5	2017	Twins	23	10	3	2
Felix Hernandez	4	2008	Mariners	31	1	1	1
CC Sabathia	4	2005	Indians	31	6	1	2
Mike Mussina	4	1999	Orioles	31	11	1	3
Chris Young	3	2015	Royals	34	4	0	2
Josh Beckett	3	2006	Red Sox	33	7	2	3
Carlos Rodon	2	2017	White Sox	7	3	0	1
Doug Fister	2	2016	Astros	32	5	0	1
Ubaldo Jimenez	2	2015	Orioles	32	8	0	2
Daniel Norris	2	2015	Blue Jays/Tigers	13	2	1	1
Colby Lewis	2	2012	Rangers	16	4	0	2
Tommy Milone	2	2012	A's	31	5	1	1
Felix Hernandez	2	2012	Mariners	33	3	0	1
Zach Britton	2	2011	Orioles	28	8	3	5
Ricky Romero	2	2011	Blue Jays	32	6	0	1
Colby Lewis	2	2010	Rangers	32	7	1	2
Rick Porcello	2	2009	Tigers	31	5	0	2
Kevin Slowey	2	2008	Twins	28	8	1	2
Joel Peralta	2	2007	Royals	62	1	1	1
Joe Kennedy	2	2007	A's	36	3	1	1

His performance in 2017 ranks 22nd on the Twins' all-time list.

It's a list dominated by Camilo Pascual (delightfully nicknamed "Little Potato"), Jim Kaat and Mudcat Grant (who also plays the blues. More on that here.), all of whom spent the better part of the '60s giving the Twins decent production at the plate prior to the introduction of the DH rule.

Most RBI by Twins pitcher in a season - Sorted by year (1961-2017)

Player	RBI	Year	G	AB	R	H
Ervin Santana	5	2017	23	10	3	2
Kevin Correia	1	2014	23	5	0	1
Francisco Liriano	1	2011	26	2	0	1
Kevin Slowey	2	2008	28	8	1	2
Livan Hernandez	1	2008	23	2	0	1
Johan Santana	1	2007	33	7	2	2
Francisco Liriano	1	2006	28	5	0	1
Johan Santana	2	2004	34	8	0	3
Eric Milton	1	2002	30	5	0	2
Kyle Lohse	1	2001	19	5	0	2
Eric Milton	1	1998	32	9	0	4
Bob Tewksbury	1	1997	26	5	0	1
Bert Blyleven	6	1972	39	94	9	15
Jim Kaat	4	1972	24	45	3	13
Ray Corbin	2	1972	34	49	1	4
Jim Strickland	2	1972	25	3	0	1
Dick Woodson	2	1972	36	88	4	7
Dave Goltz	1	1972	15	29	0	3
Jim Perry	1	1972	35	71	3	11
Jim Perry	5	1971	40	92	10	17
Jim Kaat	5	1971	54	93	6	15
Ray Corbin	2	1971	52	34	3	7
Bert Blyleven	2	1971	38	91	3	12
Tom Hall	1	1971	49	34	5	9
Jim Kaat	8	1970	56	76	17	15

It's been tough sledding for Twins pitchers since 1997, when the advent of interleague play forced American League pitchers back to the plate while playing in National League ballparks.

Pascual had 19 RBI during the 1962 season, but Santana is the first Twins pitcher to crack the top 25 since 1997, and the first to even have an RBI since Kevin Correia did it in 2014.

Most RBI by a Twins pitcher in a season

Player	RBI	Year	G	AB	R	H
Camilo Pascual	19	1962	34	97	9	26
Jim Kaat	13	1966	47	118	12	23
Camilo Pascual	12	1963	33	92	9	23
Jim Kaat	11	1964	46	83	11	14
Pedro Ramos	11	1961	53	93	8	16
Jim Kaat	10	1969	43	87	8	18
Mudcat Grant	10	1966	35	78	5	15
Jim Kaat	10	1962	48	100	9	18
Dave Boswell	9	1969	40	94	7	16
Jim Kaat	9	1965	56	93	6	23
Jim Kaat	8	1970	56	76	17	15
Camilo Pascual	8	1965	27	60	7	12
Mudcat Grant	8	1965	50	97	13	15
Camilo Pascual	8	1964	36	94	3	17
Jim Kaat	8	1963	36	61	2	8
Jim Perry	7	1969	47	93	8	16
Jim Perry	7	1967	39	42	2	8
Jim Perry	7	1966	33	59	5	13
Bert Blyleven	6	1972	39	94	9	15
Jim Perry	6	1970	41	97	9	24
Jack Kralick	6	1961	33	86	8	13
Ervin Santana	5	2017	23	10	3	2
Jim Perry	5	1971	40	92	10	17
Jim Kaat	5	1971	54	93	6	15
Jim Kaat	5	1968	36	77	7	12

Santana got both of his hits in complete games (he has five of those. No other pitcher has more than three), suggesting that perhaps the Twins' ace is a Silver Slugger in exile, his talents wasted in the AL.

Well …

He started 31 games for the Atlanta Braves in 2014, his only season in the NL, producing just seven hits and one RBI in 63 at bats for a slash line of .111/.138/.127.

Maybe not.