MILWAUKEE — The Miami Marlins waited three many years earlier than having a participant hit for the cycle in a recreation.
Now they’ve had cycles in back-to-back seasons.
Xavier Edwards grew to become the second Marlins participant ever to hit for the cycle Sunday, because the rookie reached base on all 5 of his plate appearances and hit his first profession homer in a 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. He additionally scored each of Miami’s runs.
The Marlins had their inaugural season in 1993, however they’d by no means had anybody hit for the cycle till Luis Arráez achieved the feat whereas going 4-of-5 with two runs and a pair of RBIs in an 8-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on April 11, 2023.
“Actually cool,” Edwards mentioned. “Luis’s the primary, and we have been teammates for a couple of month and a half final yr. He is an important man, nice hitter and nice teammate. Actually cool to sort of comply with in his footsteps and get the second. Undoubtedly very excited and really grateful for it.”
Edwards homered off Tobias Myers on the opening pitch of the sport, drew a leadoff stroll from Myers within the third, doubled in opposition to Jakob Junis within the fifth and tripled off Joel Payamps within the seventh. The triple additionally was the primary of his profession.
The homer got here on Edwards’ 185th profession plate look. Myers famous after the sport that he and Edwards have been former teammates within the Tampa Bay Rays‘ farm system.
“He is a great hitter,” Myers mentioned. “He is at all times been that method. He is at all times been capable of put the ball in play and make issues occur.”
By the point Edwards stepped to the plate for the ultimate time with two outs within the ninth inning, he was effectively conscious how shut he was to a milestone. However he additionally needed to face Devin Williams, a two-time Nationwide League reliever of the yr.
“I hate to say it, however I might been fascinated with it for the final two innings or so main as much as my final at-bat,” Edwards mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘All proper, I feel I’ve acquired a single left.’ For no matter cause, I used to be pondering in my head two-strike hit. I do not know why. Most likely not that nice a thought course of.”
Positive sufficient, Edwards hit a grounder to the left aspect on a 1-2 changeup, sprinted down the road and reached first simply forward of the throw from shortstop Willy Adames.
“I might have been fairly upset with myself if I did not hit a single,” Edwards mentioned. “I normally spray lots of singles, so I might have been fairly upset about not getting a single. So I am actually glad I did.”
Edwards was the eighth participant ever to hit for the cycle throughout the identical recreation during which he hit his first profession homer, in accordance with Elias Sports activities Bureau. The final particular person to do this was San Francisco’s Fred Lewis in 2007.
This has been an eventful yr for Edwards, who missed the beginning of the season with a foot an infection however has come on sturdy currently. Edwards, who turns 25 on Aug. 9, is batting .379 with a .462 on-base share in 25 video games.
“He is hitting the ball the opposite method, he is strolling, hitting it with energy,” Marlins supervisor Skip Schumaker mentioned. “His at-bats are tremendous calm on the plate. There’s not a lot swing-and-miss. He is by no means off stability. He places it in play. You want him in leverage spots. He is been excellent. I’ve mentioned it earlier than: I knew he was going to be fairly good on the plate. I did not know he was going to be this good on the plate.”
Even so, Edwards appeared an unlikely candidate to hit for the cycle as a result of he hadn’t hit a homer earlier than Sunday. Solely 10 of his 56 profession hits have gone for additional bases.
He managed to go away Milwaukee with a few memento baseballs — one for his first profession homer and one for finishing the cycle. Edwards had a good suggestion the place he deliberate to ship them.
“As soon as we’re again dwelling, I am going to most likely give them to my mother,” Edwards mentioned. “She’ll take excellent care of them and put them someplace secure.”