After a terrific start for the A’s in June, Brandon Moss has been a part-time player these last couple of months. However, he’s still hitting for power, having delivered his 18th homer of the season Tuesday against the Angels. It came in just his 201st at-bat.
With the A’s having 21 games left after tonight, it seems likely that Moss will end up right around 250 at-bats for the season. He has a chance to become just the seventh player ever to hit 20 homers in a season of 250 or fewer at-bats.
Johnny Blanchard (1961 Yankees): 21 HR, 243 AB
Willie McCovey (1962 Giants): 20 HR, 229 AB
Art Shamsky (1966 Reds): 21 HR, 234 AB
Mark McGwire (2000 Cardinals): 32 HR, 236 AB
David Ross (2006 Reds): 21 HR, 247 AB
Mike Napoli (2008 Angels): 20 HR in 227 AB
If Moss ends up over 250 at-bats, he could still find himself in a pretty exclusive list of players with at least 20 homers in seasons of 300 or fewer at-bats. 29 players have done that, including Glenallen Hill and McGwire twice each. Jim Thome was the last, finishing with 25 homers in 276 at-bats for the 2010 Twins.