Cuddyer hits for the cycle
On Friday night, Michael Cuddyer hit for the cycle against the Milwaukee Brewers to become the tenth Twin to accomplish the feat since Rod Carew hit for the cycle in 1970. Cuddyer also joins Jason Kubel as the second Twin to hit for the cycle this season. The last time the Twins hit for the cycle twice in one season was in 1976.
The accomplishment has to be bittersweet for Cuddyer who got off to a rocky start this year and had been called out by Twins fans due to a lack of offensive production when compared to his contract salary and playing time.
Cuddyer played in all but two games in the month of April and went 17-for-76 for a .224 batting average with seven runs, seven RBIs, one home run and a team high 15 strike outs. Thankfully Cuddyer’s April slump ended with the month and he has gradually increased his offense throughout May.
Thus far, Cuddyer has played in every game this month and has raised his batting average to .291 going 29-for-82 in 21 games. Of those 29 hits, six have been home runs, three have been triples and five have been doubles. Cuddyer has also scored 21 runs, drove in 23, stolen two bases and raised his slugging percentage from a .316 to a .519. Numbers that could put him on pace to match or break his career numbers set in 2006.
Cuddyer also put the Twins in a position to match or break another record – most cycles hit by a club in one season. The current record for the American League and all of baseball is three cycles which was achieved by the Philadelphia A’s in 1933. The Twins have another 119 games to go to reach that record.
Twins Hitting for the Cycle
1970-05-20: Rod Carew
1972-09-19: Cesar Tovar
1976-06-04: Larry Hisle (10 inning game)*
1976-07-24: Lyman Bostock
1978-07-27: Mike Cubbage
1980-09-18: Gary Ward
1986-08-01: Kirby Puckett
2008-05-07: Carlos Gomez
2009-04-17: Jason Kubel
2009-05-22: Michael Cuddyer
* Hisle hit a home run in the 10th inning
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