STATiSTICALLY SPEAKING
Entering the season's second half, six batting title-qualified Twins own OPS (on-base plus slugging) marks of more than .700. Only once before has a Twins team had so many regulars contributing so much offensively. The 2017 Twins could match the franchise record if Jorge Polanco surges in the second half, or Eduardo Escobar replaces him in the lineup.
1962 Twins2017 Twins
.912 — Harmon Killebrew.906 — Miguel Sano
.881 — Bob Allison.784 — Max Kepler
.802 — Rich Rollins.781 — Eddie Rosario
.769 — Lenny Green.763 — Joe Mauer
.741 — Earl Batted.761 — Robbie Grossman
.741 — Bernie Allen.759 — Eduardo Escobar*
.737 — Vic Power .758 — Brian Dozier
*-Escobar was 45 plate appearances short of qualification. Regular shortstop Jorge Polanco's OPS was .591.
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Only one team in the American League has tried to bunt more often than the Twins. But the Twins also lead the AL in bunt singles. Here are the 2017 bunting numbers through the break:
bunt att.1Bsacfoul/missed
Chicago 7862250
Twins72141048
Los Angeles718954
Texas70111445
Tampa Bay6991050
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Byron Buxton's speed has him tied atop the majors in bunt singles this season, entering the All-Star break.
6 — Byron Buxton, Min
6 — Jarrod Dyson, Sea
6 — Dee Gordon, Mia
5 — Delino DeShields, Tex
5 — Ender Inciarte, Atl
5 — Cesar Hernandez, Phi
