Once again, it’s time for Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye. (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” those one-of-a-kind accomplishment or statistics. Today’s tidbit was prompted by Carson Kelly’s career day in the first MLB game ever at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.
Once again, the usual pair of declaimers: Given statistical accuracy and game formats, I am restricting myself to the Modern Era (post-1900) and not all Negro League game stats have been fully documented and incorporated into the MLB record books. (In 2020, the Negro leagues from 1920-48 were designated major leagues.)
Yesterday (March 31), marked the first-ever MLB game at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park. The fans didn’t have much to cheer for as the Cubs drubbed the A’s 18-3, but they did see a bit of history. Chicago catcher Carson Kelly had a career day – or, perhaps, a career in a day. A .224 career hitter (in his tenth MLB season) coming into the game (with just two triples in 558 games), Kelly went four-for-four, with two walks, five RBI and three runs scored. Perhaps more important – in his eighth-inning, sixth and final plate appearance, he tripled to right field, completing the first cycle (single, double, triple, home run in the same game) of the 2025 season (and, of course, the first-ever MLB cycle at Sutter Health Park).
By Way of MLB Unicorns
While there have been 305 MLB cycles, Carson Kelly can claim first (and, of course, currently only) MLB cycle completed in the month of March.
His day went like this:
Second Inning – Walk (off Joey Estes);
Fourth Inning – Solo home run (Estes);
Fifth Inning – Two-run single (off Mitch Spence);
Sixth Inning – Double (off Noah Murdock) and bases-loaded walk (off Jose LeClerc);
Eighth Inning – Triple (off Mike Macfarlane).
A few other tidbits about Kelly’s cycle:
- It was the Cubs’ first cycle since 1993 (Mark Grace).
- He is one of just 16 catchers to hit for the cycle (Mickey Cochrane is the only catcher with two cycles – 1932 & 1933).
- Kelly is just the fourth MLB player to hit for the cycle out of the nine spot in the batting order; joining Charlie Moore, 1980 Brewers); Jeff Frye (2001 Blue Jays) and Chone Figgins (2006 Angels). Moore, like Kelly, was a catcher.
- Kelly is just the twelfth MLB player to have a 1.000 on-base percentage in a game in which they hit for the cycle and had at least six plate appearances (#InBaseballWeCountEverything).
- Kelly is just the third MLB player with two walks in a game in which they hit for the cycle (joining Joe Gordon, 1940 Yankees) and fellow catcher Mickey Cochrane (1933 Athletics). Again, more #InBaseballWeCountEverything.
Now for the obligatory chart, here are the 305 MLB cycles, by frequency based on starting positions or spot in the batting order.
Final Tidbit, might make a good trivia tavern trivia question: Seven players have had multiple home runs (two each) while completing a cycle. Who is the only player to do it twice? Answer Joe DiMaggio (1937 & 1948). Others to homer twice in a cycle are: George Brett (1979); Greg Colbrunn (2002); Gil Hodges (1949); Ralph Kiner (1950); Carl Yastrzemski (1965); and Ed Lennox (1914).
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