Editing Kirby Puckett (section)

====1987–1990 (First World Series title)====
[[File:Kirby Puckett 1993.jpg|thumb|left|Puckett bats against the Baltimore Orioles, 1993]]
In 1987, the Twins reached the postseason for the first time since 1970 despite finishing with a mark of 85–77. Once there, Puckett helped lead the Twins to the [[1987 World Series]],<ref>{{cite web|url = http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1987 |title = 1987 World Series |access-date = September 10, 2009 |work=MLB.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324120713/http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/postseason/mlb_ws_recaps.jsp?feature=1987|archive-date=March 24, 2023 |url-status=dead }}</ref> the Twins' second series appearance since relocating to Minnesota and fifth in franchise history. For the season, Puckett batted .332 with 28 home runs and 99 [[Run batted in|RBIs]].<ref>{{cite news|url = http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/history/MIN |title = Minnesota Twins |access-date = September 10, 2009 |work=[[CBS Sports]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303165851/http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/teams/history/MIN |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="BR" /> Although he hit only .208 in the Twins' five game [[1987 American League Championship Series|AL Championship Series]] win over the [[Detroit Tigers]], Puckett would produce in the seven-game World Series upset over the [[St. Louis Cardinals]], where he batted .357.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1987_WS.shtml |title = 1987 World Series |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

During the year, Puckett put on his best performance on August 30 in [[Milwaukee]] against the [[1987 Milwaukee Brewers season|Brewers]], when he went 6-for-6 with two home runs, one off [[Juan Nieves]] in the third and the other off closer [[Dan Plesac]] in the ninth.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL198708300.shtml |title = Aug 30, 1987, Twins at Brewers Play by Play and Box Score |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

Statistically speaking, Puckett had his best all-around season in 1988, hitting 24 home runs with a career-high .356 average and 121 RBIs, finishing third in the AL [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|MVP balloting]] for the second straight season. Although the Twins won 91 games, six more than in their championship season, the team finished a distant second in the [[American League West]], 13 games behind the [[1988 Oakland Athletics season|Oakland Athletics]].<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1988.shtml |title = 1988 Minnesota Twins season |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>

Puckett won the AL batting title in 1989 with a mark of .339, while also finishing fifth in at-bats, second in doubles, first in hits, and second in singles. The Twins, two years removed from the championship season, slumped, going 80–82 and finishing in fifth place, 19 games behind the Athletics. In April 1989, he recorded his 1,000th hit, becoming the fourth player in Major League Baseball history to do so in his first five seasons.<ref name="sabr" /> After the 1989 season, Puckett signed a 3-year, $9 million contract with the Twins, making him the first baseball player to earn at least $3 million per year of salary.<ref name="LAT-89">{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-11-22-sp-401-story.html |title=Puckett Is First to Score $3-Million Salary |work=Los Angeles Times |date=November 22, 1989 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=September 28, 2024 }} {{subscription required}}</ref><ref name="LAT-91" /> He continued to play well in 1990, but had a down season, finishing with a .298 batting average, and the Twins mirrored his performance as the team slipped all the way to last place in the AL West with a record of 74–88.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/MIN/1990.shtml |title = 1990 Minnesota Twins season |access-date = September 10, 2009 |website = Baseball Reference }}</ref>