MINNEAPOLIS — Jim Thome has the classic slugger’s swing, a hard uppercut that rarely yields a cheap home run.
He’s sure getting the most out of his first season with Minnesota, too.
Thome homered twice, moving past Mark McGwire for ninth place on baseball’s all-time list and powering the Twins over the Texas Rangers 12-4 on Saturday.
“He never ceases to amaze us,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He’s just going up and whacking the ball. It’s Babe Ruth all over again.”
At age 40, Thome now has 584 career home runs, continuing to hack away at that hallowed — even if steroid-tainted — leader board. As for the Babe, though, he’s still 130 homers ahead.
“I don’t think so,” Thome said, when asked if he could catch Ruth for third. “I think I’ll be fishing by then.”
Batting leader Josh Hamilton of Texas returned to center field for the first time since Sunday, but he was taken out in the fifth inning with the Twins leading big. He bruised his ribs making a running catch against the wall two innings earlier.
