All cycles are wonderful. Batting for the cycle is not only one of the least seen feats in baseball, but one of the most fun to watch as it happens.
The cycle produces a boxscore with great aesthetics. There’s something wonderful about hitting one of each: A single, a double, a triple, a home run.
But some cycles excel more than others. Here, the 10 coolest cycles in history.
Shohei Ohtani, Angels – June 13, 2019
Everyone knew Ohtani was a good hitter, but hitting for the cycle was a perfect example of how excellent the Japanese star’s capabilities are – someone with a 100 mph fastball on the mound and who also meets every requirement on the mound. The batting box: Thunder, speed and contact against the best pitchers in the major leagues. Ohtani began his cycle by hitting a three-lap home run early in the first inning against the Rays. He then rocked a double, a triple and finally the single in the seventh inning to cap it off. He also became the first Japanese player to hit for the cycle in MLB.
Brock Holt, Red Sox – October 8, 2018
In all the history of the Major League Baseball playoffs, there hadn’t been a cycle, and we had to wait more than a century. Holt finally did it in Game 3 of the 2018 ALDS – for the Red Sox against their perennial rivals, the Yankees – and the Bronx none other than – en route to the Patirrojos’ final title. Holt came to the plate in the ninth inning needing a home run to do the feat… and with Boston punishing New York 14-1. He had the rare fortune to face a position player on the mound, Bombers wide receiver Austin Romine. Holt blew up the right field fence to complete the second cycle of his career and make his mark on postseason history.
Christian Yelich, Brewers – August 29 & September 17, 2018
Yelich’s pair of cycles in 2018 were excellent embellishments on his NL MVP crown. The first, in August, was the most impressive – the outfielder not only hit for the cycle, but went 6-6 to lead Milwaukee to a 13-12 win in 10 innings over the Reds. That was done by just one of four players in the Modern Era who hit for the cycle with six hits (Ian Kinsler in 2009, Rondell White in 1995 and Bobby Veach in 1920). But that was not all. A few weeks later, Yelich hit the cycle again – also against the Reds – to become just one of three Modern Age players with more than one cycle in a season (alongside Aaron Hill in 2012 and Babe Herman in 1931. ) and the only player with two cycles against the same team in the same year.
Nolan Arenado, Rockies – June 18, 2017
The third baseman cycle had quite a bit of drama. Arenado entered the batter’s cage at the close of the ninth inning at Coors Field with Colorado trailing by a streak and the winning run on the bases. He needed the homerun. He swung hard two innings earlier and struck out. Now he faced Giants closer Mark Melancon. And to emphasize it, it was on Father’s Day. How did the story end? With a great swing. Arenado hit the decisive homerun and, incidentally, completed the cycle. It was the first home run in MLB history that completed the cycle, leaving the opponent down and his team down. As Rockies radio host Jack Corrigan called it, “A cycle for history!”
Bengie Molina, Rangers – July 16, 2010
Catchers aren’t the fastest. The Molina brothers are not the fastest. The Puerto Rican trio would be the last people you would imagine hitting for a cycle. Bengie hit exactly six 3s in 13 years (Jose hit three in 15 seasons; Yadier has seven in 16 seasons). Fortunately, you don’t need to imagine what a cycle by one of the Molina’s would look like, because the constellations lined up for a big day at Fenway Park. The 35-year-old Bengie, in his last season, was missing a 3-pointer when he hit a hit into the center field that Eric Patterson couldn’t catch and reached the deepest corner of Fenway. The tough catcher raced all the way to third base to become just one of the few receivers to hit for the cycle. Also, his homers were a grand slam, which is also something that hasn’t happened that many times.
Adrián Beltré and Stephen Drew, Mariners / D-backs – September 1, 2008
This had happened only once and it was on September 17, 1920, when Bobby Veach of the Tigers and George Burns of the Giants did it. This was the first of three cycles for Beltré – the Dominican is one of only three players in the Modern Era to hit for the cycle three times. A curious fact: Each one was in the same stadium. The second and third cycles of the querqueyano were after he joined the Rangers and both were in Arlington.
Graig Biggio and Cavan Biggio, Astros / Blue Jays – April 8, 2002, and September 17, 2019
It’s always wonderful when a Major League Baseball father and son accomplish parallel feats on the field. A great example is Craig and Cavan Biggio hitting for the 17-year cycle between them. Craig did it as a 36-year veteran in the 15th campaign of his career that led to the Hall of Fame. Cavan – who still has the match ticket from his father’s feat – later did so as a 24-year-old rookie. Something fantastic. The Biggio are one of two father-son duos to hit for the cycle, alongside Gary and Daryle Ward.
Mike Lansing, Rockies – June 18, 2000
This may be the most curious of all. At Coors Field, a stadium known for favoring hitters, the Colorado second baseman hit a triple in the first inning, a home run in the second, a double in the third and a single in the fourth to cap off the fastest cycle of all the times. Four innings, four hits, one of each, one in each episode. Spectacular.
Dave Winfield, Angels – June 24, 1991
Not impressive that a Hall of Famer hit for the cycle. But the surprise was how old Winfield was when he completed it. He was 39 years and 264 days old to be exact. Winfield became the oldest player to hit for the cycle when he did so at Royals Stadium in the middle of the 1991 campaign. The other 39-year-old to hit for a cycle was Cy Williams in 1927, and he was younger than Winfield for 37 days.
Leon Culberson, Red Sox – July 3, 1943
No one has hit a cycle like Culberson’s in the nearly 80 years that have passed – it is a cycle with a home run inside the park. Another interesting fact about his cycle is that it was a natural one. He hit each hit in order: First the single, then the double, then the triple, and finally the home run. That is more difficult than some think; there have been just 14 natural cycles in MLB history, the last by Gary Matthews Jr. in 2006. (GG) (Taken from MLB.com)