Minnesota Twins: 5 bold predictions for the second half of the 2019 season

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 11: Nelson Cruz #23, C.J. Cron #24 and Eddie Rosario #20 of the Minnesota Twins celebrate a three-run home run by Cron against the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning of game two of a doubleheader on May 11, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Tigers 8-3. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 11: Nelson Cruz #23, C.J. Cron #24 and Eddie Rosario #20 of the Minnesota Twins celebrate a three-run home run by Cron against the Detroit Tigers during the fifth inning of game two of a doubleheader on May 11, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Tigers 8-3. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 13: C.J. Cron #24 of the Minnesota Twins rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning of the game on June 13, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Mariners 10-5. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 13: C.J. Cron #24 of the Minnesota Twins rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning of the game on June 13, 2019 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Mariners 10-5. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

The Twins will break the record for most HR in a season

I’m not sure if this is really a bold prediction, as home runs have been flying at such a rate that even the pitchers are starting to believe that MLB is conspiring against them. Even Rob Manfred is juicing the balls to make baseball fun again, the Twins have no complaints as they lead all of baseball with 166 homers at the break.

There are a lot of reasons why the Twins wouldn’t keep up this pace (as they have no remaining games with the Baltimore Orioles), but there’s also a lot of reasons why they might break the single-season home run record set by the Yankees last year (267).

As of right now, the Twins have 10 players that have hit double-digit home runs this season. When Byron Buxton hits his next, that number will rise to 11. Although C.J. Cron‘s thumb injury could linger into the second half, the Twins have a pair of potential 40 HR guys in Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario and Nelson Cruz is going to flirt with hitting 30 HR by the end of the season.

If the pleasant surprises in the lineup (Mitch Garver, Jorge Polanco) keep hitting and some others (Sano) pick it up, there’s no reason to think that the Twins can’t hit 102 bombs in the second half and make some history in the process.

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