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Minnesota Twins are kings of the long ball in 2019

By Linda Johnson

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 28: Jonathan Schoop #16 of the Minnesota Twins is greeted in the dugout after hitting a two run home run in the 5th inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 28, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 28: Jonathan Schoop #16 of the Minnesota Twins is greeted in the dugout after hitting a two run home run in the 5th inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on July 28, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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The Minnesota Twins have had a season for the record books. On Wednesday night, the Twins continued to make baseball history.

The Minnesota Twins’ Jonathan Schoop took Ross Detwiler deep in the second inning of Wednesday night’s game in Chicago. That three-run homer did more than just give the Twins the lead in the game. It also solidified some baseball history.

Schoop joined his teammates Mitch Garver, CJ Cron, Miguel Sano, Eddie Rosario, Max Kepler and Nelson Cruz to hit 20 home runs on the season. With seven players hitting 20 or more long balls in a season, the Twins have tied a baseball record. Just seven other teams in MLB history have accomplished that feat and, most recently, the Dodgers did it in 2018.

On Thursday, the records continued to fall as the Twins set a major league record for home runs away from home in a season. Jake Cave and Cron went back to back in the third off of the struggling Dylan Cease and Cave went deep again in the seventh inning to give the Twins 139 dingers on the road.  The previous record was 138 set in 2001 by the San Francisco Giants.

One more record could fall in short order if Jorge Polanco can manage one more homer. That will give Minnesota at least eight players with 20 home runs or more in a single season and would set an MLB record while putting Minnesota on pace to eclipse the Yankees home run record from last season of 267.

There are quite a few teams that are warming up since the All Star break. The Indians have been giving the Twins fits all month. The Yankees have put together a nice August as well. But the Twins have been hot since the first game.

They have a handful of players who could join Schoop and company on this illustrious list. Polanco is waiting with 19 home runs, Gonzalez has 15 and Jason Castro who has seen limited work this season, has 12 homers. Byron Buxton, who is expected to come off of the Injured List soon and is sitting with ten.

Baseball has its ebbs and flows, but one good hot streak could put any of these guys on the 20 homers list. The Twins could get their chance this weekend. The Twins open a four-game series in Detroit on Friday. Currently, the Tigers are 40.5 games behind Minnesota.

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