The Return Of Miranda Mania
During this Twins season, we've seen many new players thrive, but we've also seen an old face of the future redeem himself. Jose Miranda has had a resurgence in 2024, helping the Twins recover from an early winning streak and becoming one of the team's most valuable bats. His hot streaks are commonly called "Miranda Mania" by young fans who saw him rise through the minors to the MLB. So, how did Miranda get to this spot in the first place?
Miranda's 2022 And 2023 Season
2022 was Miranda's rookie season, and he was impressive with the Twins. In 483 plate appearances, he collected 119 hits, including 40 were extra-base hits. Despite his strong performance throughout the season, he failed to receive any Rookie of the Year votes but had high expectations heading into 2023. Unfortunately, it would be a nightmare for Miranda.
Miranda regressed a lot in 2023. He only managed 152 plate appearances before being sent down to the minors for the season and never returning due to Royce Lewis returning from injury and a lack of roster spots. His production also bottomed out, with his WRC+ dropping from 117 to 57 and his posting of a -0.7 WAR in that span.
The leading cause of this sudden decline was his inability to make hard contact. Miranda was at least getting contact with the ball, but it rarely made it out of the infield. Because of his poor play, he would have to earn his spot on the team in 2024. He started the year in the minors but was quickly called up.
Miranda Mania's 2024 Comeback
Miranda has quickly reclaimed his roster spot with the Twins, posting a career-high 125 WRC+ through 194 plate appearances. He's regained his hard-hitting ability by learning it again in AAA with the Saints.
Hitting coach David Popkins likely contributed to his quick turnaround from his awful 2023. Miranda will likely continue to be a key hitter for the Twins as they push for the AL Central crown again in 2024.
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