We already know that Brian Dozier is having one of the most productive offensive seasons of any player in Minnesota Twins history.
But in terms of Major League second basemen, Dozier’s season is bordering on record-breaking.
For most of the MLB’s long-storied history, second basemen are largely known to be light hitters. So Dozier’s 41 home runs this year put him in near record-breaking territory.
In 1973, Braves second-baseman Davey Johnson homered 43 times. One of those home runs was as a pinch hitter, so the current record for most home runs by someone playing second base in a single season is 42.
All but two of Dozier’s home runs this year have come while he’s been playing second base – meaning he’s gone deep 39 times while playing his natural position – just three shy of tying Johnson’s mark.
No second baseman in the history of the American League has hit more HRs in a season than the #MNTwins' Brian Dozier pic.twitter.com/hRJQksb9sH
— The Twins Almanac (@TwinsAlmanac) September 15, 2016
If Dozier is able to catch Mark Trumbo, who leads MLB with 43 home runs this year, he would join Rogers Hornsby as the only second baseman to lead the Majors in home runs.
Hornsby accomplished that feat twice, once in 1922, the other in 1925.
Dozier and the Twins open a three-game weekend series in New York against the Mets starting Friday night.
