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Minnesota Twins’ José Miranda Ties MLB Record for Consecutive At-Bats

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José Miranda has swung into the MLB history books…

The 26-year-old Minnesota Twins infielder tied Major League Baseball history on Saturday, running his streak of consecutive at-bats with a hit to a record-tying 12 after a fourth-inning single against the Houston Astros.

Jose MirandaMiranda subsequently made his first out in days in the sixth inning, hitting a fly out to left fielder Chas McCormick that ended his bid at sole ownership of the record.

While Miranda’s attempt to become the first Major League Baseball player since at least 1961 to record a hit 11 plate appearances in a row was snapped earlier on Saturday, when he was hit by a pitch from Hunter Brown in the first inning, he did single in his first and second official at-bats.

Miranda set the Twins’ record for most consecutive hits with his 10th in a row on Friday night.

Miranda’s streak will live on in a three-way tie for the MLB record for most consecutive at-bats with a hit, alongside Walt Dropo (1952), Pinky Higgins (1938) and Johnny Kling (1902).

Jose MirandaAdditionally, Miranda is the only player in the Expansion Era to extend his consecutive hits streak to 12 at-bats in a row. Dustin Pedroia (2016) and Bernie Williams (2002) both ran streaks to 11.

Miranda, who served as DH on Friday, went 4-for-4 with a double and a home run.

He had previously recorded a 5-for-5 showing on Thursday, and had notched a hit in his final at-bat on Wednesday. In the process of linking together 10 straight hits, Miranda eclipsed the Twins’ all-time record for consecutive hits, previously established by three players since the team relocated to Minnesota: Tony Oliva in 1967, Mickey Hatcher in 1985, and Todd Walker in 1998.

Twins manager Rocco Baldelli pinch-hit for Miranda with Austin Martin later in the game. The Twins were trailing by eight at the time. They would later cut that to one run, with Miranda’s spot due up next when the final out was recorded.

“Those guys, they play virtually every day and they’re doing a good job,” Baldelli explained afterward. “In an eight-run game, they’ve been on their feet for a while. No reason not to get them off.”

Miranda has been one of the most pleasant individual surprises of the season. In 71 games, he’s batted .324/.364/.529 (150 OPS+) with nine home runs and 21 additional extra-base hits. For those wondering, he’s seen his seasonal OPS improve from .822 to .901 over the last three games alone.

Jose Miranda Sets Minnesota Twins Team Record for Consecutive Hits

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Jose Miranda has broken a long-standing Twins record…

The 26-year-old Puerto Rican professional baseball infielder and designated hitter for the Minnesota Twins set a team record on Friday night with hits in 10 consecutive plate appearances.

Jose MirandaMiranda eclipsed the mark of nine hits in a row set by Tony Oliva in 1967 and matched by Mickey Hatcher in 1985 and Todd Walker in 1998. Oliva still spends time with Twins players throughout the season, lending extra meaning to the accomplishment, according to Miranda.

“I talk to him a lot. It means a lot,” Miranda said. “You know, he’s a Hall of Famer, so you break a Hall of Famer’s record, it’s something pretty cool, I think.”

The major league record for consecutive hits is 12, by Detroit Tigers‘ Walt Dropo (1952), Boston Red Sox‘s Pinky Higgins (1938) and the Chicago Cubs‘ Johnny Kling (1902).

Miranda entered the game against the Houston Astros — a 13-12 loss — with hits in six straight trips to the plate and had hits in each of his four times up before he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the ninth inning.

“I’ll come to the field tomorrow, do my stuff in the cage, get ready for the game, get ready for the pitcher I’m facing tomorrow,” Miranda said. “Then … you take it pitch by pitch and try to have a good at-bat.”

Miranda finished 4-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. He was batting .296 entering Wednesday night’s game when the streak began and has raised his average to .324.

He singled in the second inning and hit a 414-foot homer to left field in the third. Miranda tied the Twins’ record of nine straight hits with a two-run double in the fifth. He had his 10th straight hit — a single to right field — in the seventh.

With the Twins trailing 13-5 in the ninth, Austin Martin hit for Miranda and singled.

Chicago White Sox Rookie Yermin Mercedes Makes MLB History with 8-for-8 Start

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Yermin Mercedes continues his historic run…

The 28-year-old Dominican Chicago White Sox rookie got three hits in his first three at-bats on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels to improve to 8-for-8 to start 2021, the most consecutive hits to start a season by any player in the modern era (since 1900).

Yermin Mercedes

Mercedes, who had one major league at-bat entering the season, going 0-for-1 in 2020, has started at DH the past two games and tortured the Angels with his two-strike hitting — five of the eight hits have come with two strikes.

After homering in the second inning on Saturday for his first career home run, Mercedes’ eighth straight hit came in the sixth inning, a double that bounced off the warning track in left-center.

“I’m just trying to wait for my pitch and not do too much,” Mercedes said after the White Sox lost 5-3 in Anaheim. “Just stay right there and swing hard. It doesn’t matter if it is two strikes or no strikes, I just want to see the ball.” 

The eight hits:

Friday
1. Line-drive single off a 1-2 changeup from Andrew Heaney
2. Ground ball single off a 1-0 sinker from Javy Guerra
3. Line-drive single off an 0-1 cutter from Chris Rodriguez
4. Line-drive single off an 0-2 cutter from Mike Mayers
5. Double to left field off an 0-2 change from Alex Claudio

Saturday
6. 421-foot home run off a 2-2 splitter from Alex Cobb
7. Ground ball single off a 1-2 sinker from Cobb
8. Double to deep left-center off a 1-0 sinker from Cobb

In his ninth at-bat, Mercedes flew out to center field to end his streak. He finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored on Saturday.

“All of his hits have been clutch and he has been putting us in position to try to win,” manager Tony LaRussa said. “He has had a great approach, especially with two strikes.”

Mercedes is a rookie who has bounced around three organizations, originally signed by the Washington Nationals and spending time with the Baltimore Orioles before the White Sox signed him in 2018. He wasn’t expected to be a big part of the lineup, but Eloy Jimenez‘s injury has opened up playing time, with projected DH Andrew Vaughn starting the past two games in left field.

LaRussa said Mercedes was supposed to have the night off Saturday but that he earned his way into the lineup with his 5-for-5 night.

Mercedes has spent most of his time in the minor leagues at catcher but does own a .302 career minor league average, and in 2019, he hit .317/.388/.581 with 23 home runs in 95 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

“I never imagined that. It is great for me,” Mercedes said of his start. “Now, it’s a new day for me. I want to keep doing well and work with my approach. I want to play every day and I’m excited for that.”

Before Mercedes, the only player since 1900 to get five hits in his first career start was Cecil Travis, who went 5-for-7 for the Washington Senators in 1933.

The overall record for consecutive hits at any point in a season is 12, shared by the Chicago Cubs‘ Johnny Kling (1902) and two Boston Red Sox players, Pinky Higgins (1938) and Walt Dropo (1952).