Before the first leaf turned, before the Vikings regular season started and even before the State Fair ended, the Twins did something that was totally unexpected when the regular season began on a chilly March afternoon at Target Field.
They broke Major League Baseball’s single-season record for home runs.
No, the Twins didn’t just break it. They shattered it. And they did it with about a month left in the regular season.
The New York Yankees, who set the mark with 267 homers last season, are also in pursuit of the record as both teams enter the season’s final weeks with hopes of a division title and World Series glory. But, for now, the record belongs to the Twins, who added sluggers Nelson Cruz, C.J. Cron and Jonathan Schoop to join Max Kepler, Miguel Sano, Mitch Garver, Eddie Rosario and Jorge Polanco in a 2019 lineup that’s been fearsome from top to bottom.
Charts current as of Sept 9. Check back weekly to see updated home run totals for the Twins and Yankees.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Over the past week, the Yankees have cut the Twins' lead to just 7 home runs. The Twins have played 143 games and the Yankees have played 144.
Home runs over MLB regular season
From 2009 to 2018, MLB teams averaged just over one home run per game.
Home runs over MLB regular season
That comes out to 166.9 home runs over the course of a 162 game season.
Home runs over MLB regular season
The top 15 home run hitting teams in MLB history — including the record-setting 2018 New York Yankees — obliterated the league average over the past ten seasons.
Home runs over MLB regular season
The 2018 Yankees, featuring stars like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, set the MLB record by hitting 267 home runs.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Just one year later, four teams are on pace to break that record, including the Houston Astros, the Los Angeles Dodgers and this year's iteration of the Yankees.
Home runs over MLB regular season
But even those teams' pace pales in comparison to the Twins, who are on pace to hit 320 home runs, which would break the previous record by more than 50.
Home runs over MLB regular season
On Aug. 31, Mitch Garver, Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, C.J. Cron and Nelson Cruz combined for 6 home runs against the Detroit Tigers to be the first team to break the home run record in 2019.
Here's a look at some other key home runs for the Bomba Squad:
Home runs over MLB regular season
Franchise Record: Against the Baltimore Orioles, the Twins clubbed eight home runs, tying the franchise record for a single game. They did the same just over a month later against the Los Angeles Angels.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Battering Baltimore: Nelson Cruz homers twice, and Cruz, Eddie Rosario and C.J. Cron hit consecutive home runs in a 6-1 victory at Target Field over Baltimore. In six games vs. the Orioles this season, the Twins hit 23 home runs.
Home runs over MLB regular season
50 games, 100 Bombas: Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano all hit home runs against the Chicago White Sox, making the Twins just the second-team ever to hit 100 home runs in the first 50 games of the season.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Kepler heats up: Max Kepler hits three home runs at Cleveland off Indians starter Trevor Bauer in a 5-4 win. Kepler would also homer in his next two at-bats against Bauer on July 14.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Game of the Year: In a 14-12 loss to the Yankees at Target Field, Miguel Sano homers twice, including a go-ahead shot in the eighth inning after the Twins blew a six-run lead. The Yankees rallied to win in what might have been the Game of the Year in baseball.
Home runs over MLB regular season
The Ageless Wonder: Nelson Cruz has two three-homer games in a nine-day span, becoming the first player in Twins history to have multiple three-homer games in the same season and the first player in MLB history to complete that feat after age 39.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Walking it off: Miguel Sano hits the Twins’ only walkoff home run of the season in a 5-3 victory over Atlanta at Target Field.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Leadoff Longballs: Max Kepler hits a leadoff home run for the sixth time this season as the Twins beat the visiting Tigers 8-5.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Record Road Bombas: The Twins hit three home runs in Chicago against the White Sox, setting a new record for home runs hit on the road in a season with 140.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Over the past week, the Yankees have cut the Twins' lead to just 7 home runs. The Twins have played 143 games and the Yankees have played 144.
Home runs over MLB regular season
From 2009 to 2018, MLB teams averaged just over one home run per game.
Home runs over MLB regular season
That comes out to 166.9 home runs over the course of a 162 game season.
Home runs over MLB regular season
The top 15 home run hitting teams in MLB history — including the record-setting 2018 New York Yankees — obliterated the league average over the past ten seasons.
Home runs over MLB regular season
The 2018 Yankees, featuring stars like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, set the MLB record by hitting 267 home runs.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Just one year later, four teams are on pace to break that record, including the Houston Astros, the Los Angeles Dodgers and this year's iteration of the Yankees.
Home runs over MLB regular season
But even those teams' pace pales in comparison to the Twins, who are on pace to hit 316 home runs, which would break the previous record by nearly 50.
Home runs over MLB regular season
On Aug. 31, Mitch Garver, Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco, C.J. Cron and Nelson Cruz combined for 6 home runs against the Detroit Tigers to be the first team to break the home run record in 2019.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Here's a look at some other key home runs for the Bomba Squad:
Franchise Record: In the second game of a doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles, the Twins clubbed eight home runs, tying the franchise record for a single game. They did the same just over a month later against the Los Angeles Angels on May 23.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Battering Baltimore: Nelson Cruz homers twice, and Cruz, Eddie Rosario and C.J. Cron hit consecutive home runs in a 6-1 victory at Target Field over Baltimore. In six games vs. the Orioles this season, the Twins hit 23 home runs.
Home runs over MLB regular season
50 games, 100 Bombas: Max Kepler, Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano all hit home runs against the Chicago White Sox, making the Twins just the second-team ever to hit 100 home runs in the first 50 games of the season.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Kepler heats up: Max Kepler hits three home runs at Cleveland off Indians starter Trevor Bauer in a 5-4 win. Kepler would also homer in his next two at-bats against Bauer on July 14.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Game of the Year: In a 14-12 loss to the Yankees at Target Field, Miguel Sano homers twice, including a go-ahead shot in the eighth inning after the Twins blew a six-run lead. The Yankees rallied to win in what might have been the Game of the Year in baseball.
Home runs over MLB regular season
The Ageless Wonder: Nelson Cruz has two three-homer games in a nine-day span against Chicago and Kansas City. Cruz is the first player in Twins history to have multiple three-homer games in the same season and the first player in MLB history to accomplish that feat after age 39.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Walking it off: Miguel Sano hits the Twins’ only walkoff home run of the season in a 5-3 victory over Atlanta at Target Field.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Leadoff Longballs: Max Kepler hits a leadoff home run for the sixth time this season as the Twins beat the visiting Tigers 8-5.
Home runs over MLB regular season
Record Road Bombas: The Twins hit three home runs in Chicago against the White Sox, setting a new record for home runs hit on the road in a season with 140.