On September 13, 2026, Jonathan Aranda and Isaac Paredes reached 21 home runs apiece in the same MLB season. Aranda hit two of them in Tampa Bay’s 14-4 blowout of the Houston Astros; Paredes added one from the losing side. Together, they sealed something no other pair of Mexican-born players had done in more than two decades: both clear 20 home runs in the same campaign.
The last time it happened was Vinicio Castilla and Erubiel Durazo — and they did it back-to-back, in 2003 and 2004. Aranda and Paredes are the first different duo to pull it off.
A New Pair, More Than 20 Years Later
Two Mexican-born players reaching 20+ home runs in the same season had happened before — but always with the same two names. Castilla and Durazo did it in 2003 (34 and 21 HR, respectively) and repeated it in 2004 (35 and 22 HR). Those are two historic seasons, but a single duo.
Aranda and Paredes are the first to do it as a new pair. That distinction matters because it shows Mexican offensive power in MLB isn’t tied to one exceptional generation or a unique set of circumstances — it’s a pattern. And this time, it’s being repeated by a new generation, one born in Tijuana and Hermosillo, that grew up watching Castilla and Durazo on TV.
The broader context adds even more weight. In 2026, Mexico set a record with 22 players on active MLB rosters simultaneously. That two of them rank among the best power hitters on their respective teams is no accident — it’s exactly the depth that number of 22 was always going to validate.
Aranda in Tampa, Paredes in Houston: Two Paths to the Same Milestone
Jonathan Aranda, first baseman for the Rays, reached 21 home runs the hard way — by hitting two in the same game. In Tampa Bay’s sweep of Houston, the Tijuana native was the engine of an offensive night that also pushed the Rays to their 90th win of the season, the best record in the American League at the time.
Isaac Paredes, third baseman for the Astros and a two-time All-Star (2024 and 2025), got to the same number from the losing dugout. His 21 home runs in 2026 are the latest chapter in a career that, as of September 13, already counted 113 home runs in the majors. Unlike Aranda, Paredes has been the face of Mexican baseball offense for years. This season, they share the top spot.
Both also played together at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where Mexico won the bronze medal — a preview of the talent that was coming. The 2026 season is the confirmation.
The Numbers Behind Aranda’s Power
Aranda’s place among MLB’s better power hitters isn’t a fluke. Here’s what Statcast shows for his 2026 season:
- Plate appearances: 630
- Home runs: 21 | RBI: 89
- AVG: .278 | OPS: .800
- xwOBA: .348 (expected production based on contact quality)
- Average exit velocity: 91.2 mph
- Barrel rate: 9.9%
- Hard-hit rate: 45.9% (balls hit 95+ mph)
- Average bat speed: 70.3 mph
Among all MLB hitters, Aranda ranks at the 82nd percentile in xwOBA, 82nd in exit velocity, 79th in hard-hit rate, and 76th in squared-up rate. The one outlier: sprint speed at the 12th percentile — one of the slowest in the league. He does his damage with the bat, not his legs.
