May belonged to the long ball.
The last 31 days saw 1,060 home runs hit, the second-highest total for a single month in Major League history. It fell nine homers shy of 1,069, the record for May and any calendar month set during the 2000 season.
This month's total was at 1,023 entering play Wednesday, and 37 were hit before the calendar flipped to June, vaulting it past August 2004 (1,033), September/October 2015 (1,034) and August 2016 (1,053) from fifth to second on the all-time list.
April also saw an extraordinary number of home runs clubbed, with the total, 863, ranking as the second-most for March/April, again, trailing only 2000 (935).
Of the 1,060 homers hit in May, 630 of them were solo shots; the rest (430) came with runners on base, including 16 grand slams.

Minnesota's Target Field accounted for the most home runs with 66, well ahead of second-place Minute Maid Park (50). The Tampa Bay Rays belted the most of any club (52), and Justin Bour (12) claimed the title among individual players, including two homers Wednesday against the Phillies at Marlins Park.
According to Statcast™, the Rangers' Joey Gallo on Monday had this month's hardest-hit home run, with a 116.3 mph exit velocity, while George Springer had the longest, a 473-foot shot Wednesday. Paul Goldschmidt's solo homer on May 4 recorded the highest launch angle of the month -- and the season -- at 47 degrees.

Most home runs in a single month

1. May 2000: 1,069
   2. May 2017: 1,060
   
2. Aug. 2016: 1,053
   
3. Sept./Oct. 2015: 1,034
   
4. Aug. 2004: 1,033
   
5. Sept./Oct. 1999: 1,018
   
6. June 2016: 1,012
   Most home runs in May
   
7. 2000: 1,069
   2. 2017: 1,060
   
8. 1999: 980
   
9. 2016: 965
   
10. 2006: 911