Can You Identify These 2010s MLB Players With 40+ Home Runs in a Season?

SPORTS

By: Gavin Thagard

6 Min Quiz

Image: WikiCommons by Keith Allison

About This Quiz

Ever since Babe Ruth started swinging for the fences in the 1920s, home runs have become a staple of MLB, exciting fans and driving up the scoring totals. In recent decades, home runs haven't slowed down much, not even after the steroid scandal almost ripped the game apart in the 2000s as some of the biggest names in the game were brought under scrutiny.

The league has somewhat rebounded since the controversy hit, and the 2010s have certainly been a fun era to watch as veterans slugged homer after homer while young stars showed off their own hitting prowess as the decade played out. The mark all these sluggers wanted to reach was 40 home runs, of course, as 40 always separated a decent batting season from a great one. 

Some of the batters who hit the 40 home run mark were able to do it for a few seasons, while others were one-off occasions that turned into career-defining moments. Rookies also got in on the action, as Mark McGwire's rookie record of 49 home runs was surpassed twice in the decade.

Are you ready to try your luck at identifying these sluggers who hit over 40 homers in the 2010s? There might be a few curve balls thrown your way, so you'd better be ready before you step up to the plate.

This slugger led the league in 2010 with 54 home runs. Who is he?

In 2010, Jose Bautista made his first of six straight All-Star Games while leading the league in home runs. Due to his offensive production, Bautista was also awarded with the Silver Slugger Award and the Hank Aaron Award.

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Can you identify this offensive talent who is one of baseball's greatest hitters?

For his second season in a row, Albert Pujols was the National League home run leader in 2010 with 42 homers. During the season, he also hit his 400th career home run off Jordan Zimmerman, though it came in a losing effort.

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Do you recognize this player who won the Silver Slugger Award in 2011 when he hit 41 home runs?

Curtis Granderson isn't just a stellar player on the field, he is also known for his community work. His involvement in the community has earned him four Marvin Miller Man of the Year Awards and one Roberto Clemente Award.

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The Hank Aaron Award was given to which elite batter shown here in 2012 because of his hitting prowess?

To go along with his Hank Aaron Award in 2012, Miguel Cabrera was also awarded a Triple Crown because he led the American League in home runs, batting average and runs batted in. As of 2019, he was the last player to earn the honor.

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Are you familiar with this slugger who was still at the height of his career when he hit 43 home runs in 2012?

An ascending star at the time, Josh Hamilton made his final All-Star Game in 2012 after hitting the most home runs of his career. However, addiction problems took their toll, and he was out of the league by 2015.

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While playing for the Toronto Blue Jays, this batter knocked 42 balls over the fence. Is he a player you're familiar with?

Edwin Encarnacion made all three of his career All-Star Games while playing with the Toronto Blues Jays between 2009 and 2016. Since then, his career has been up and down as he has spent time with the Indians, Mariners and Yankees.

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How well do you know this player whose batting skills earned him the nickname "The Hebrew Hammer"?

After winning the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2007 and the NL MVP in 2011, Ryan Braun finally eclipsed the 40 home run mark in 2012. However, his association with performance-enhancing drugs caught up to him in 2013, and he was suspended for 65 games.

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What's the name of this player who hit 41 home runs despite setting the American League record for strikeouts in 2012?

Debuting in 2001, Adam Dunn finally called it quits following the 2014 MLB season. Having played most of his career with the Cincinnati Reds, the team honored his contributions by adding him to their own Hall of Fame.

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The All-Star Game wouldn't have been complete in 2013 without which slugger depicted in this image?

After leaving high school in 2004, Chris Davis entered the next three MLB drafts, having declined to enter into the minors with the first two teams that selected him. He finally signed with the Texas Rangers in 2006 and made his MLB debut two years later.

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He's the only batter to hit 40 home runs in 2014. Who is this?

Playing for the Texas Rangers, Nelson Cruz had one of his best playoff series in the 2011 ALCS against the Detroit Tigers. In the series, Cruz earned the ALCS MVP after hitting six home runs, which included a walk-off grand slam.

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Have you seen this two-way threat swing for the fences for the Colorado Rockies?

Despite being a home run threat on any at-bat, Nolan Arenado is just as great on the defensive side of the field. Playing third base, Arenado has seven Gold Glove Awards and three Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Awards.

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The NL MVP was awarded to which player shown here when he recorded 42 home runs in 2015?

After seven seasons with the Washington Nationals, the team that drafted him, Bryce Harper left the franchise to sign one of the biggest contracts in baseball. The contract, which he obtained from the Philadelphia Phillies, was for 13 years and worth $330 million.

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Select the name of this slugger who shined in 2015 with 41 home runs.

After spending most of the 2018 season injured, Josh Donaldson signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves to prove he could still play. He earned his money in 2019, hitting 37 home runs while being named the NL Comeback Player of the Year.

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One of the most balanced players in the game, do you know this elite centerfielder who can also slam home runs?

After debuting in 2011, Mike Trout was named to eight straight All-Star Games between 2012 and 2019. In that span, he also earned three AL MVPs, two AL Hank Aaron Awards and seven Silver Slugger Awards.

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This Venezuelan player has two Silver Slugger Awards because of his offensive ability. Who is he?

Carlos Gonzalez is one of a select number of players to hit home runs in four consecutive at-bats, which he accomplished in 2012. The feat was achieved in a two-game series against the Houston Astros.

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Can you identify this offensive talent who hit 47 home runs in his first season with the Baltimore Orioles?

After being traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Baltimore Orioles, Mark Trumbo had one of the best seasons of his career. Not only did he lead the majors in home runs, but he also made his second All-Star Game.

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When this slugger isn't hitting home runs, he's playing in the outfield. What's his name?

Between 2016 and 2018, Khris Davis hit over 40 home runs for three straight seasons and even led the league in home runs in 2018. With those home run totals, he became the first player in Athletics' history to record 40 home run seasons in back-to-back years.

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Are you familiar with this player who was one of eight batters to hit over 40 home runs in 2016?

After debuting in 2012, it took Brian Dozier a few seasons to become a true home run threat, but by his third season, Dozier was hitting over 20 home runs a year. He finally eclipsed the 40 home run mark in 2016, while also recording 99 runs batted in.

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Is this batter, who hit 41 home runs in his lone season in Milwaukee, a player you recognize?

Playing for the Houston Astros, Chris Carter's 2015 season was a bit of a dud, which led to his free agency at the end of the year. He signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2016 and slammed 41 home runs out the park but also had a league-high 206 strikeouts.

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How well do you know this slugger whose offensive skillset can be traced all the way back to his youth?

Todd Frazier competed in the 2016 Home Run Derby, the same season that he hit over 40 home runs. He lost the derby but did make it to the final round, hitting a total of 42 home runs in the competition. Those 42 homers place him ninth in total home runs at a derby.

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Few batters swing as hard and ferocious as which player depicted in this image?

Giancarlo Stanton had an MVP season in 2017, during which he led the league in home runs with 59. In a controversial move, the Miami Marlins traded Stanton to the New York Yankees following his MVP season.

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Not many players come into the league ready to slam home runs quite like this star. Who is he?

Debuting near the end of the 2016 season, Aaron Judge hit a home run in his first career at-bat. His debut home run followed another player, Tyler Austin, who accomplished the exact same thing. This was the first time in MLB history that two players hit home runs in their debut game while playing for the same team.

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Did you watch this player hit 43 home runs the same season he won a World Series?

J.D. Martinez racked up accomplishment after accomplishment during the 2017 MLB season. One of his greatest feats was hitting four home runs in one game, making him only the 18th player to ever do so.

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Identify this player who was only a few years into his MLB career when he hit 41 home runs in 2017.

After hitting only seven total home runs in 2015 and 2016, Joey Gallo had back-to-back 40 home run seasons in 2017 and 2018. However, his batting average remained low those two seasons, and Gallo wouldn't reach the All-Star Game until 2019.

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What's the name of this offensive talent who set the record for home runs in a rookie season in 2019?

Drafted by the New York Mets in 2016, Pete Alonso finally made his MLB debut for the team at the start of the 2019 season. He exploded onto the scene, hitting 53 home runs to lead all MLB batters.

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He's a batter who loves to swing for the fences. Who is this?

Even though Eugenio Suarez hit 49 home runs in 2019, he also led the majors in strikeouts with 189. However, he finished the season with a .271 batting average, which was slightly better than his career average.

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This player hit more home runs in 2019 than in his first five seasons combined. Can you identify him?

Jorge Soler was part of the Chicago Cubs' 2016 World Series championship. With the victory, Soler helped the Cubs end the longest championship drought in baseball at the time, as the team hadn't won a title since 1908.

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Do you recognize this young star who slammed 47 home runs in 2019, leading to him being awarded the NL MVP?

Cody Bellinger has spent the entirety of his short career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he has twice been elected to the All-Star Game. He also helped the Dodgers reach the World Series in 2018, though they lost to the Boston Red Sox.

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Will you be able to identify this player who has one of the better batting averages of the sluggers who have hit over 40 home runs since 2010?

Starting his career with the Miami Marlins, Christian Yelich failed to live up to his first-round draft status until he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018. That season, he made his first All-Star Game while also earning a Silver Slugger Award and a NL Hank Aaron Award.

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It takes a special talent to adapt to the majors as quickly as which young star shown here has been able to do. Who is he?

Alex Bregman was part of the Houston Astros' controversial 2017 World Series championship. At the start of 2020, it was revealed that the Astros cheated their way to a title by ripping off signs from opposing teams. Bregman's exact involvement in the scandal is unknown.

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Are you familiar with this player who has taken the league by storm since his debut in 2018?

The future looks bright for Ronald Acuna Jr., who was named the NL Rookie of the Year after debuting in 2018. In the playoffs that year, Acuna hit a grand slam to become the youngest player to hit a grand slam in the postseason.

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