Entering Thursday, Kepler had swung at 76.1 percent of pitches in the strike zone, joining two teammates, Rosario and Schoop, in the top 25 in baseball. Utility man Willians Astudillo, center fielder Byron Buxton and Gonzalez have also had noticeable upticks in this category. Despite this, the Twins have the fourth lowest strikeout rate in baseball.
“Our guys stay under control, but they go up there to impact the ball,” Baldelli said.
It has also helped, Rowson said, that key young players, like catcher Mitch Garver (19 home runs), shortstop Jorge Polanco (15 home runs), Buxton and Kepler, have learned which pitches they can hit hard.
Garver and others have made an effort to follow the hitting principles of the so-called launch angle revolution: hit the ball in the air hard to the dominant side. The Twins have had a gradual increase in average launch angle each year (they ranked second in 2018 and 2019) and in how hard the ball was hit (their average exit velocity jumped to fourth in 2019 from 20th in 2018), according to Statcast. Buxton, Polanco, Sano and Garver have increased their launch angle this season.
Garver, 28, who hit seven home runs last season but has always hit the ball hard, said he adapted his swing to produce more fly balls to left field, and thus more power. His fly-ball rate has jumped to 48 percent from 38 percent last season.
“I understand how guys are getting contracts these days in the O.P.S. era.,” he said, referring to on-base plus slugging percentage. “I’m not stupid.”
Ultimately, these traits are at the heart of the Twins’ new approach: Don’t be afraid to swing; hit the ball hard, preferably in the air; and watch the records fall.