1970 Minnesota Twins season


Led by new manager Bill Rigney, the 1970 Minnesota Twins won the American League West with a 98–64 record, nine games ahead of the Oakland Athletics. The Twins were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series. After the ALCS, Metropolitan Stadium would never see another post-season game, and the Twins would not return to the postseason stage until 1987 when they won the World Series.

Offseason

On April 7, newly acquired Twin Brant Alyea homered twice in going 4 for 4 and driving in 7 RBI. The RBI total set a record for major league baseball's Opening Day.
On May 20, in a 10–5 win over the Kansas City Royals, Rod Carew became the very first Twin to hit for the cycle—going single, homer, double, triple. Over time, his feat will be matched by nine other Twins.
On June 5, pitcher Bert Blyleven debuted, allowing a home run off the very first batter he faced.
Four Twins made the All-Star Game: first baseman Harmon Killebrew, second baseman Rod Carew, outfielder Tony Oliva, and pitcher Jim Perry.
On September 16, Blyleven struck out the first six batters he faced to tie a major league record. However, the Twins lost the game to the California Angels, 5–1.
The Twins are no-hit for the second time in their history, losing 6–0 to Oakland's Vida Blue.
The Twins won the American League West, led by leadoff batter César Tovar, Oliva and Killebrew. Carew was batting.366 when his knee was injured turning a double play. Perry won 24 games and became the first Twins pitcher to win the AL Cy Young Award. Jim Kaat added 14 wins and rookie Bert Blyleven won 10. Kaat also won his 9th Gold Glove Award. Reliever Ron Perranoski led the AL with 34 saves.
1,261,887 fans attended Twins games, the third highest total in the American League.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C11736982.2221546
1B153501131.2611056
2B9630266.219022
3B157527143.27141113
SS160588145.2471165
LF9425875.2911661
CF161650195.3001054
RF157628204.32523107

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
14231985.266340
5119170.366428
8117941.229725
6914940.268522
11114132.227212
477215.20817
596412.18817
24469.19612
27222.09100
13205.25000
16163.18802
9112.18202
570.00000
441.25002

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
40278.224123.04168
4523014103.56120
271641093.18135
1892.2733.4050
1868.2376.4245

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
52155.11162.55184
43151943.2264

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGWLSVERASO
6778342.4355
68101151.9976
211213.8222
180024.6114
100205.513
42003.004

Postseason

ALCS

Awards and honors

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Auburn