Lost in the hoopla of Yasiel Puig delivering what proved to be a game-winning pinch-hit home run against the Colorado Rockies was Matt Kemp helping the Los Angeles Dodgers cut into their deficit with a solo blast in the second inning.
Kemp’s home run was his 20th this year, and the eighth time he hit at least that many with the Dodgers. Additionally, he became the seventh Dodgers player to slug at least 20 homers this season, setting a franchise and National League record.
This year’s team breaks the franchise mark held by last season’s club when six players hit 20 or more homers.
Come the end of the 2017 regular season, that group consisted of Cody Bellinger (39 home runs), Puig (28), Corey Seager (22), Yasmani Grandal (22), Chris Taylor (21) and Justin Turner (21).
This year, the Dodgers reached the threshold with Max Muncy’s 33 home runs pacing the team. He’s joined by Bellinger (23), Grandal (23), Joc Pederson (23), Puig (22), Kemp (20) and Kiké Hernandez (20).
Prior to their back-to-back record-setting seasons, the Dodgers twice had five players hit a minimum of 20 home runs — 1979 and 2000. The franchise record was set by the likes of Ron Cey (28), Steve Garvey (28), Davey Lopes (28), Dusty Baker (23) and Joe Ferguson (20).
It was tied 21 years later by Gary Sheffield (43), Eric Karros (31), Shawn Green (24), Todd Hundley (24) and Adrian Beltre (20).
The American League has seen six teams produce seven players with at least 20 home runs. The most recent of which was the Baltimore Orioles last year.
Taylor could give the Dodgers an eighth player should he manage to hit three home runs in their remaining nine regular-season games. Taylor has endured a bit of a rough season but has found recent success at the plate.
