Miguel Sanó

StaTuesday: Twins hitting homers like it's 2004

Published Jul. 19, 2016 1:03 p.m. ET

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Home runs are up across baseball this year, with major-league teams hitting them at the highest rate since 2000.

The Minnesota Twins are no exception, hitting home runs at their best rate in more than 10 years.

Minnesota is averaging 1.16 homers per game this season, a rate that would be its highest since 2004 and sixth-highest in team history. The team ranks 16th in the majors in home run per game, which would be its highest since it finished 13th in 2009.

The Twins haven't ranked in the top 10 in home runs per game since 1988.

Year	Home Runs	Games	HR/G	MLB Rank
2016	107	92	1.16	16th
2015	156	162	0.96	16th
2014	128	162	0.79	19th
2013	151	162	0.93	18th
2012	131	162	0.81	26th
2011	103	162	0.64	28th
2010	142	162	0.88	19th
2009	172	163	1.06	13th
2008	111	163	0.68	29th
2007	118	162	0.73	29th
2006	143	162	0.88	28th
2005	134	162	0.83	24th
2004	191	162	1.18	12th
2003	155	162	0.96	20th
2002	167	161	1.04	12th
2001	164	162	1.01	20th
2000	116	162	0.72	30th
1999	105	162	0.65	30th
1998	115	162	0.71	27th
1997	132	162	0.81	25th
1996	118	162	0.73	28th
1995	120	144	0.83	22nd
1994	103	113	0.91	22nd
1993	121	162	0.75	23rd
1992	104	162	0.64	15th
1991	140	162	0.86	10th
1990	100	162	0.62	23rd
1989	117	162	0.72	17th
1988	151	162	0.93	4th
1987	196	162	1.21	7th
1986	196	162	1.21	2nd
1985	141	162	0.87	12th
1984	114	162	0.70	15th
1983	141	162	0.87	10th
1982	148	162	0.91	7th
1981	47	110	0.43	23rd
1980	99	161	0.61	20th
1979	112	162	0.69	20th
1978	82	162	0.51	22nd
1977	123	162	0.76	18th
1976	81	162	0.50	17th
1975	121	159	0.76	11th
1974	111	163	0.68	11th
1973	120	162	0.74	14th
1972	93	154	0.60	17th
1971	116	160	0.73	12th
1970	153	162	0.94	10th
1969	163	162	1.01	Fifth
1968	105	162	0.65	Ninth
1967	131	164	0.80	6th
1966	144	162	0.89	10th
1965	150	162	0.93	7th
1964	221	163	1.36	1st
1963	225	161	1.40	1st
1962	185	163	1.13	4th
1961	167	161	1.04	7th

Minnesota has led the majors in home runs twice -- in 1963 and 1964. Harmon Killebrew led the 1963 Twins with 45 home runs, while Bob Allison hit 35, Jimmie Hall hit 33 and Earl Battey hit 26. Killebrew hit an MLB-leading 49 the next season, while Allison and Tony Oliva added 32, Hall hit 25, Don Mincher hit 23 and Zolio Versalles hit 20. Minnesota finished 79-83 that season.

The Twins had five players with at least 20 home runs in 1986, led by Gary Gaetti with 34 and Kirby Puckett with 31. Four had at least 20 the following season, including three with at least 30, as the team went on to win the World Series.

That year was the start of an 18-season drought in which the Twins did not have a hitter with 30 home runs. Minnesota especially struggled to hit the long ball in 1999 and 2000, when they finished last in the majors in home runs. The Twins did not have a 20-home run hitter either of those seasons.

The Twins had a home run renaissance in 2004, when eight players hit at least 10, led by Corey Koskie's 25. That was also the last full season in which Minnesota averaged more than one home run per game.

This season, Minnesota already has four players (Brian Dozier, Miguel Sano, Eduardo Nunez and Byung Ho Park) with at least 12 home runs. Another, Max Kepler, has nine home runs in 50 games. Dozier, Sano and Nunez are on pace to reach at least 20 HRs on the season.

All told, the Twins are on pace to hit 188 home runs in 2016. Not bad for a team that has historically struggled to hit the long ball.

Stats courtesy mlb.com

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