Crooked numbers: Twins lead MLB with 100 innings of multiple runs
It’s not exactly breaking news: the Minnesota Twins are putting up a lot of runs.
Their 382 runs scored lead all of baseball, and Minnesota is well on pace to surpass its team record of 877 runs scored, set in 1996.
So it should come as no surprise that the Twins lead the big leagues in posting crooked numbers as well. The Twins have scored 2+ runs in 100 different innings through 64 games this season. In 2018, the Twins posted 200 innings of 2+ runs, good for fifth in MLB.
Minnesota is on track to score 967 runs and allow just 683 this season. Since 1900, only five teams have finished a season with 950+ runs scored and fewer than 700 runs allowed, most recently the 1998 New York Yankees which won 114 games and featured Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Mariano Rivera and more.
Out of those five teams -- the Yankees in 1927, 1937, 1939 and 1998 and the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1953 -- all five went to the World Series and four of them took home a title.
Expect the crooked numbers to continue at Target Field this week when the Seattle Mariners come to town for a three-game set, beginning Tuesday night.
The Twins took three of four games from Seattle back in May, outscoring them 43-15 in the process -- an average of 10.8 runs scored per game.
If you’re keeping the book at the ballpark, be sure to bring a pen that has plenty of ink.
NOTABLE
-- Seattle starting pitcher Mike Leake, who is starting the series opener Tuesday night, has allowed the second-most homers in the big leagues (18). He’s yielded multiple home runs in three of his past four outings.
-- Minnesota starting pitcher Martin Perez, who will oppose Leake on the mound Tuesday, has a 5.25 ERA and just 1.50 K/BB in his last five starts. In his first five starts of the season, Perez notched four quality starts, a 1.64 ERA and 3.86 K/BB.
-- Since the 2014 season, Nelson Cruz has clobbered the most home runs in the majors at 214. Seattle’s Edwin Encarnacion is second with 205. Cruz hit 163 of his 371 career dingers as a member of the Mariners from 2015-18.
-- Twins shortstop Jorge Polanco has the longest active on-base streak in the American League at 26 straight games. Ehire Adrianza ranks third with a 16-game streak.
-- Minnesota sees the fewest pitches per plate appearance (3.79), while Seattle is the most patient (4.10).
Statistics courtesy Sportradar, baseball-reference.com
