1986 Minnesota Twins season

• December 20, 1985: Rick Lysander was released by the Twins.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lysanri01.shtml|title=Rick Lysander Stats - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=April 23, 2018}}
• January 7, 1986: Ken Schrom and Bryan Oelkers were traded by the Twins to the Cleveland Indians for Roy Smith and Ramón Romero.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/s/smithro01.shtml Roy Smith] at Baseball Reference
• January 14, 1986: Jarvis Brown was drafted by the Twins in the 1st round (9th pick) of the 1986 Major League Baseball draft. Player signed May 23, 1986.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/brownja03.shtml Jarvis Brown] at Baseball Reference
• January 16, 1986: Tim Teufel and Pat Crosby (minors) were traded by the Twins to the New York Mets for Billy Beane, Joe Klink and Bill Latham.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/beanebi01.shtml|title=Billy Beane Stats - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=April 23, 2018}}
• January 16, 1986: Dave Engel was traded by the Minnesota Twins to the Detroit Tigers for Chris Pittaro and Alejandro Sánchez.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/e/engleda01.shtml|title=Dave Engle Stats - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=April 23, 2018}}
• March 31, 1986: Mike Hart was traded by the Twins to the Baltimore Orioles for Ben Bianchi (minors), Steve Padia (minors), and a player to be named later. The Orioles completed the deal by sending Jeff Hubbard (minors) to the Twins on April 23.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hartmi02.shtml Mike Hart] at Baseball Reference

On May 30, Roy Smalley Jr. homered from both sides of the plate, the first Twin to do so.

Only one Twins player made the All-Star Game: outfielder Kirby Puckett.

On August 1, Puckett hit for the cycle, the only time he'd do so in his major league career. Going triple, double, single, homer, he became the seventh Twin in history to cycle. On the same night, pitcher Bert Blyleven struck out Oakland's Mike Davis to notch his 3000th strikeout. Only eight other pitchers had reached that plateau.

After a disappointing start, manager Ray Miller was replaced by Tom Kelly on September 12.

Greg Gagne of the Twins hit two inside-the-park home runs in one game on October 4, against the Chicago White Sox.Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p.262, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, {{ISBN|978-0-451-22363-0}} Pitcher Bert Blyleven was on the mound for the Twins; the last time a batter had hit two inside-the-park homers in one game, it was Dick Allen of the White Sox on July 31, 1972, and his homers were hit off Blyleven.

Also on October 4, Blyleven allowed his 50th home run of the season (to Chicago's Daryl Boston) to set a major league record. (When he served up 46 in 1987, he set another record with 96 homers allowed over consecutive seasons.)

Kirby Puckett switched from leadoff to third in the batting order, blasted 31 HR, drove in 96 runs and scored 119.

Kent Hrbek hit .267 with 29 HR and 91 RBI.

Tom Brunansky hit 23 HR and 75 RBI.

Gary Gaetti hit .287 with 34 HR and 108 RBI.

With Roy Smalley Jr.'s 20 home runs, five players reached 20 homers this season, the first time that happened since six players topped 20 in 1964.

The Twins had three solid starting pitchers: Frank Viola (16-13),

Bert Blyleven (17-14), and Mike Smithson (13-14). Reliever Keith Atherton had 10 saves.

Third baseman Gary Gaetti and center fielder Kirby Puckett each won their first Gold Glove Award. They were the first Twins to win a gold glove since Jim Kaat in 1973.

{{1986 AL West standings}}

{{1986 AL Record vs. opponents|team=MIN}}

• April 8, 1986: Houston Jiménez was released by the Twins.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/j/jimenho01.shtml|title=Houston Jimenez Stats - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=April 23, 2018}}
• May 20, 1986: Keith Atherton was traded by the Oakland Athletics to the Minnesota Twins for a player to be named later and cash. The Minnesota Twins sent Eric Broersma (minors) (May 23, 1986) to the Oakland Athletics to complete the trade.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/atherke01.shtml|title=Keith Atherton Stats - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=April 23, 2018}}
• June 2, 1986: Derek Parks was drafted by the Twins in the 1st round (10th pick) of the 1986 Major League Baseball draft.[https://www.baseball-reference.com/p/parksde01.shtml Derek Parks] at Baseball Reference
• June 20, 1986: John Butcher was traded by the Twins to the Cleveland Indians for Neal Heaton.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/b/butchjo01.shtml|title=John Butcher Stats - Baseball-Reference.com|website=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=April 23, 2018}}

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

{{See also|Minor League Baseball}}

{{MLB Farm System|level16=AAA|team16=Toledo Mud Hens|league16=International League|manager16=Charlie Manuel

|level17=AA |team17=Orlando Twins|league17=Southern League|manager17=George Mitterwald

|level18=A |team18=Visalia Oaks|league18=California League|manager18=Danny Schmitz

|level19=A |team19=Kenosha Twins|league19=Midwest League|manager19=Don Leppert

|level20=Rookie|team20=Elizabethton Twins|league20=Appalachian League|manager20=Fred Waters

}}Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 2nd and 3rd editions. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1997 and 2007

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1986.shtml Player stats from www.baseball-reference.com]
• [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1986&t=MIN Team info from www.baseball-almanac.com]

{{1986 MLB season by team}}

{{Minnesota Twins}}

Category:Minnesota Twins seasons

Minnesota Twins season

Minnesota Twins