MLB Standings: How Important Is the HR to a Team's Win-Loss Record?

How important is the home run to a team’s success?

If you ask the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros this morning, they will tell you that the long-ball is very important. The Yankees got a walk-off home run from Russell Martin on their way to a sweep of the cross-town rival Mets in yesterday’s 5-4 win. For the Astros, they slugged four home runs in Sunday’s 11-9 win over the Chicago White Sox.

But let’s get back to the question above. For the Yankees, Martin’s game-winner was his second four-bagger of the game. It was also the 31st game of the season where the Yankees have hit two or more home runs in a game. They have a record of 26 wins and only five losses in those games, an .839 winning percentage. What makes that stat even more remarkable is that when the Yankees do not hit a home run in a game, their record is 0-12!

Through games of May 10, teams that have multiple home run games have won 340 and lost 131, a .722 winning percentage. Teams that do not homer in a game have won 238 and lost 477, a winning percentage of .333…that’s a difference of .389!

Here’s a look at each of the 3o MLB teams and how well they have played in games where they hit multiple home runs and those games where they went homerless.

Multiple HR games/Homerless games (Pct. Difference)

N.Y. Yankees 26-5 .839/0-12 .000 (.839)

Boston 15-2 .882/4-17 .190 (.692)

Arizona 11-2 .846/6-18 .250 (.596)

Chicago White Sox 17-3 .850/4-11 .267 (.583)

St. Louis 18-6 .750/4-18 .182 (.568)

Cincinnati 16-5 .762/6-20 .231 (.531)

Texas 15-4 .789/4-11 .267 (.522)

Milwaukee 12-6 .667/3-16 .158 (.509)

Atlanta 15-3 .833/7-14 .333 (.500)

Minnesota 7-3 .700/6-22 .214 (.486)

Houston 10-3 .769/8-18 .308 (.461)

Baltimore 16-8 .667/3-11 .214 (.453)

Cleveland 10-3 .769/9-19 .321 (.448)

Pittsburgh 10-2 .833/12-17 .414 (.419)

Seattle 8-4 .667/6-17 .261 (.406)

Philadelphia 11-4 .733/9-18 .333 (.400)

Miami 11-4 .733/10-18 .357 (.376)

L.A. Angels 13-4 .765/9-12 .429 (.336)

Tampa Bay 13-4 .765/9-11 .450 (.315)

Toronto 17-7 .708/6-9 .400 (.308)

Kansas City 7-4 .636/9-18 .333 (.303)

Washington 11-2 .846/12-10 .545 (.301)

Oakland 8-5 .615/9-18 .333 (.282)

L.A. Dodgers 5-1 .833/16-12 .571 (.262)

Chicago Cubs 6-6 .500/8-21 .276 (.224)

Detroit 9-7 .563/9-14 .391 (.172)

Colorado 9-10 .474/7-14 .333 (.141)

N.Y. Mets 7-6 .538/13-17 .433 (.105)

San Francisco 5-3 .625/19-17 .528 (.097)

San Diego 2-5 .286/11-27 .289 (+.003)

Did you know?

* The Yankees have the most multi-HR games with 31. The Red Sox have the best winning percentage in multiple home run games with a .882 winning percentage (15-2).

* Colorado and San Diego are the only two teams that have a losing record in games where they hit two or more home runs. The Rockies are 9-10, and the Padres are 2-5 in multiple home run games.

* The Dodgers, Giants and Nationals are the only teams with winning records in games where they do not hit a home runs. The Padres have the most homerless games with 38.

Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp