Photo: Ryan Casey Aguinaldo, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Yesterday (July 16, 2012) – as the Padres scored 24 runs, demolishing the Nationals 24-8 – Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth hit for the cycle (single, double, triple, home run in the same game). The 27-year-old, in his second MLB season, went four-for-five, with one run scored and four RBI. Cronenworth, batting in the three-hole, lined out to shortstop in the first inning, hit a two-run double in the second, added a run-scoring triple in the third, poked a solo home run to right-center in the fifth and and beat out a ground ball single in the sixth to complete the cycle. (Jurickson Profar replaced Cronenworth in the bottom of the seventh.) Cronenworth came into the game hitting .276-12-34 on the season.
Cronenworth’s cycle gives Baseball Roundtable a good excuse to look at some MLB cycle trivia and tidbits. So, let’s get to it.
Baseball Roundtable Disclaimer: The MLB records referenced in this (and previous) posts have the potential to change (primarily additions) as Major League Baseball recognizes and fully incorporates Negro League records from 1920-48 into the MLB record book.
Over the years, the cycle has been a rare, but no exceedingly rare, occurrence. In fact, the shortened 2020 season was the first campaign since 1983 that was completed without a cycle. The cycle has been accomplished a total of 332 times by a total of 293 MLB players. Twenty-seven players have hit for multiple cycles.
The Cycle, Let’s do it Again … and Again … and again
Only five MLB players have hit for the cycle three times in their careers: John Reilly (Red Stockings, twice in 1883 and Reds in 1890); Babe Herman (Brooklyn Robins, twice in 1931 and Cubs in 1933); Bob Meusel (Yankees in 1921, 1922 and 1928); Adrian Beltre (Mariners in 2008, Rangers in 2012 and 2015); and the still active Trea Turner (Nationals in 2017, 2019, 2021).
Happy Birthday to Me
When “just-turned-28” Trea Turner hit for the cycle on June 30 of this season, he became the first MLB player to hit for the cycle on his birthday.
Yellow Jersey to the Fastest Cycle Ever
On June 18, 2000, Colorado Rockies’ second baseman Mike Lansing completed the cycle in just four innings – making it the quickest cycle in MLB history. Notably, Lansing was consistently behind in the counts and three of his four hits came with two strikes.
Lansing, batting second in the order, hit:
- An RBI triple to right in the first inning, on a 1-2 pitch;
- A two-run home run (0-1 pitch) in the bottom of the second;
- A two-run double (2-2 pitch) in the bottom of the third (as the Rockies scored nine times to take a 14-1 lead); and
- A single (another 1-2 offering) to right in the fourth.
Lansing then struck out in the sixth, before being lifted for a pinch-hitter (Darren Bragg) in the eighth. Lansing ended the day four-for-five, with three runs scored and five RBI, as the Rockies torched the Diamondbacks 19-2 in Denver. Lansing came into the game hitting .274, with ten doubles, three triples and nine home runs on the season.
In addition to his fastest-ever cycle, Lansing shares the record for the most home runs in an inning (two). On May 7, 1997, he hit a two-run and three-run homer in a 13-run sixth inning, as the Expos topped the Giants 19-3 in San Francisco. That was his best season in the majors, as he hit .281 and recorded his career highs in home runs (20), RBI (70) and doubles (45). Lansing had a nine-season MLB career (1993-2001 … Expos, Rockies, Red Sox), hitting .271, with 84 home runs, 440 RBI, 554 runs scored and 119 stolen bases.
Fastest Cycle Ever … From a Career Perspective
Minnesota Twins’ outfielder Gary Ward hit for the cycle in just his 14th MLB game (September 18, 1980, against the Brewers) – the earliest in an MLB career anyone has ever accomplished the feat.
Two Cycles in One Season
Photo by IDSportsPhoto 
Only five players have collected two cycles in one season. Among those, Brewers’ outfielder Christian Yelich (photo) is the only one to hit for the cycle against the same team (the Reds) twice in the same campaign. In Yelich’s 2018 MVP season, he hit for the cycle on August 29, as the Brewers topped the Reds 13-12 in ten innings in Cincinnati. He doubled up on cycles on September 17, as the Brewers topped the Reds 8-0 in Milwaukee.
The Cycle … A Family Affair
Only two father-son combinations have hit for the cycle at the Major-league level – and both involved rookies.
Gary Ward (as noted above) hit for the cycle as a rookie for the Twins on September 18, 1980. His son Daryle hit for the cycle for the Pirates (against the Cardinals) on May 26, 2004 (in his seventh MLB season).
Blues Jays’ rookie Cavan Biggio – in a September 17, 2019 game against the Orioles – hit for the cycle in just his 89th MLB game. Cavan’s father, Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, hit for the cycle (for the Astros versus the Rockies) on April 8, 2002.
The Cycle … Sometimes it Skips a Generation
Pittsburgh Pirates’ outfielder Gus Bell hit for the cycle on June 4, 1951 – as the Pirates topped the Phillies 12-4 in Philadelphia. Fifty-three seasons later – on June 28, 2004 – Phillies’ 3B David Bell (Gus Bell’s grandson) hit for the cycle (also in Philadelphia), as the Phillies topped the Expos 14-6. Gus and David Bell are the only grandfather-grandson combination to achieve MLB cycles. The Bell’s were a three-generation MLB family. However, David Bell’s father (Gus Bell’s son) Buddy Bell did not achieve a cycle in his career. (Neither did David’s brother Mike, who played in 19 MLB games in the 2000 season).
More #InBaseballWeCountEverything
Adrian Beltre hit a record-tying three career cycles – all at Arlington Stadium (twice for the Rangers and once for the visiting Mariners, making him the only player to hit for the cycle in the same stadium for two different teams).
On the Big Stage
Brock Holt is the only player to record a cycle in the post season. He did it on October 8, 2018, as the Red Sox beat the Yankees 16-1 in Game Three of the American League Division Series. Holt grounded out in the top of the second inning; had a single and a triple in the Yankees seven-run fourth; grounded out in the sixth; hit a ground-rule double in the eighth; and managed to finish his cycle with a home run with two outs in the top of the ninth. It was Holt’s second career cycle. He had a regular-season cycle for the Red Sox on June 16, 2015, as Boston topped Atlanta 9-4 at Fenway. He also completed that cycle with two outs in Boston’s last offensive inning – hitting a triple with two down in the bottom of the eighth.
Shortest Time Between Cycles
John Reilly (Reds) and Tip O‘Neill (St. Louis Brown Stockings, American Association) had the shortest time between cycles at just seven days. Reilly’s came on September 12 and September 19, 1883. O’Neill’s came on April 30 and May 7, 1887.
It’s Been a Hard Day’s Night
The Expos’ Tim Foli is the only player to start a cycle one day and complete it the next. On April 21, 1976, Foli collected a single, double and triple in a contest against the Cubbies that was suspended (pre-Wrigley lights) in the top of the seventh due to darkness. When play resumed the following day, Foli added an eighth-inning home run. (The Expos prevailed 12-6.)
Patience is a Virtue
The longest time between cycles for a player with multiple cycles goes to the Royals’ George Brett (May 28, 1979 and July 25, 1990) at 11-years-58 days.
Something Old … Something New
The youngest MLB player ever to hit for the cycle is the NY Giants’ Mel Ott (age 20, cycle on May 16, 1929).
The oldest player to hit for the cycle is The Angels’ Dave Winfield (age 39, cycle on June 24, 1991).
Sharing the Wealth
Three players have hit for the cycle in both the NL and AL: Bob Watson (NL Astros-1977 and AL Red Sox-1979); John Olerud (NL Mets-1997 and AL Mariners-2001); Michael Cuddyer (AL Twins-2009 and NL Rockies-2014).
Same City – Different League – Same Result
John Reilly collected three MLB cycles. Two for the American Association Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1883 and one for the National League Cincinatti Reds in 1890.
Quote the Raven, “Nevermore”
The Marlins are the only MLB team to never have a batter record a cycle.
Hitting (running) into an Out for the Cycle
Photo: Library of Congress
The Yankees’ 1B Lou Gehrig (kind of) earned a cycle by being tossed out at the plate. On June 25, 1934, as New York topped Chicago 13-2 at Yankee Stadium, Gehrig hit two-run home run in the first inning; a single in the third; and a double in the sixth. Gehrig came up needing just the triple for the cycle in the seventh and hit a smash to deep center (scoring Yankees’ CF Ben Chapman). Gehrig wasn’t satisfied with a three-bagger and was thrown out at home (8-6-2) trying for an inside-the-park home run – thus getting credit for the triple he needed for a cycle.
So Close … and Yet So Far
On June 27, 2003, Johnny Damon was playing CF and leading off for the Red Sox as they took on the Marlins in Boston. In a start that brought Boston fans up out of their seats, Damon was three-fourths of the way to the cycle before the first inning was over – and had tied an MLB record with three hits in an inning. (The Red Sox scored 14 runs in the first inning, on their way to a 25-3 win over the Marlins at Fenway.) Damon who collected a single, double and triple in the bottom of the first, ended the game five-for-seven, with three runs scored, three RBI, a double, a triple and three singles. He, unfortunately, did not get the cycle. In his final three at bats Damon: struck out; flied out to center; singled to right; singled past third base – ending the game five-for-seven, with three runs and three RBI.
Primary Resources: Society for American Baseball Research; Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com
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