StaTuesday: Twins 2B Dozier makes history with 40th home run
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve may be the current favorite to win the American League MVP award, but Minnesota Twins star Brain Dozier is now officially one of the most accomplished sluggers in league history at the position.
Dozier is the first player in the history of the American League to play at least 50 percent of his games at second base and hit 40 home runs, surpassing seven-time All-Star Alfonso Soriano, who hit 39 home runs for the New York Yankees in 2002.
He hit his 40th home run of the season in a loss to the Detroit Tigers on Monday, smacking a solo shot on the fifth pitch he saw in the third inning to tie the game at 1.
Dozier now trails only Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby (42) and four-time All-Star Davey Johnson (43) for the major-league record with 18 games remaining.
| Player | HR | Year | Team | League | At-bats | BA |
| Davey Johnson | 43 | 1973 | ATL | NL | 559 | 0.270 |
| Rogers Hornsby | 42 | 1922 | STL | NL | 623 | 0.401 |
| Brian Dozier | 40 | 2016 | MIN | AL | 549 | 0.277 |
| Ryne Sandberg | 40 | 1990 | CHC | NL | 615 | 0.306 |
| Alfonso Soriano | 39 | 2002 | NYY | AL | 696 | 0.300 |
| Rogers Hornsby | 39 | 1929 | CHC | NL | 602 | 0.380 |
| Rogers Hornsby | 39 | 1925 | STL | NL | 504 | 0.403 |
| Alfonso Soriano | 38 | 2003 | NYY | AL | 682 | 0.290 |
| Jay Bell | 38 | 1999 | ARI | NL | 589 | 0.289 |
| Jeff Kent | 37 | 2002 | SFG | NL | 623 | 0.313 |
| Bret Boone | 37 | 2001 | SEA | AL | 623 | 0.331 |
| Dan Uggla | 36 | 2011 | ATL | NL | 600 | 0.233 |
| Aaron Hill | 36 | 2009 | TOR | AL | 682 | 0.286 |
| Alfonso Soriano | 36 | 2005 | TEX | AL | 637 | 0.268 |
| Bret Boone | 35 | 2003 | SEA | AL | 622 | 0.294 |
| Robinson Cano | 33 | 2016 | SEA | AL | 581 | 0.301 |
| Robinson Cano | 33 | 2012 | NYY | AL | 627 | 0.313 |
| Dan Uggla | 33 | 2010 | FLA | NL | 589 | 0.287 |
| Chase Utley | 33 | 2008 | PHI | NL | 607 | 0.292 |
| Jeff Kent | 33 | 2000 | SFG | NL | 587 | 0.334 |
NOTES:
-- While two of Dozier's home runs have come while serving as the Twins' designated hitter, he remains on pace to catch Johnson and Hornsby, who are tied for the positional record with 40 homers apiece.
-- Dozier has hit home runs off 30 different pitchers this season, but his favorite targets have been Kansas City Royals starter Dillon Gee (4) and Chicago White Sox starter Carlos Rodon (3).
-- He has hit two home runs off of five other pitchers: Ian Kennedy (Royals), Mike Fiers (Houston Astros), Carlos Carrasco (Cleveland Indians), Jose Quintana (White Sox) and Edinson Volquez (Royals).
-- Dozier has hit 20 of his home runs at Target Field, but Progressive Field has been his favorite destination this season. He has hit five home runs in Cleveland, homering in back-to-back games there twice.
-- Unfortunately for the Twins, 28 of Dozier's home runs have come with the bases empty, while he has hit just five homers with more than one man on base.
-- Dozier has been all about fast starts this season, and has hit 17 of his home runs before the fourth inning.
-- That trait carries over into the batter's box, where Dozier has just six home runs when trailing in the count, but has hit 15 home runs with an even count and 19 while ahead.
Follow Ryan Lund on Twitter
