Looking back at every cycle in Rangers history

ARLINGTON -- For the first 32 years of Texas Rangers history (since the club’s relocation from Washington, D.C.), there was just one player to hit for the cycle: Oddibe McDowell on July 23, 1985, against the Indians at Arlington Stadium.

Since the start of the 2004 season, nine players have etched their names into the Rangers record books by accomplishing the rare feat.

Here’s a breakdown of every cycle in Rangers history.

Oddibe McDowell
July 23, 1985

McDowell was the first player to hit for the cycle for the Rangers and the only one to do so before the turn of the century. He accomplished the feat at Arlington Stadium during his rookie season in 1985 in an 8-4 victory over Cleveland.

It was actually a 5-for-5 day for McDowell, who had a double in the first inning, a single in the third, a triple in the fourth, another single in the sixth and finally a solo homer in the eighth.

• Every MLB player who has hit for the cycle

Mark Teixeira
Aug. 17, 2004

Almost 20 years after McDowell completed the first cycle in Rangers history against Cleveland, Teixeira added the second against the same ballclub. On a hot summer day at the Ballpark in Arlington, Teixeira completed his cycle with a single in the seventh inning while collecting a career-high seven RBIs before being lifted for a pinch-runner en route to a 16-4 blowout win for Texas.

At the time, Teixeira was just the 14th switch-hitter in MLB history to complete a cycle. He had two hits from each side, becoming just the third known switch-hitter to do so.

Gary Matthews Jr.
Sept. 13, 2006

Matthews Jr. is the only Ranger to have completed his cycle in natural order (1B, 2B, 3B, HR). In an 11-3 win over the Tigers at Comerica Park, he went 4-for-4 with a single in the first inning, double in the second, and triple in the fourth off Detroit starter Justin Verlander. He completed the cycle with a solo home run off reliever Mike Maroth on the first pitch to lead off the sixth inning. He was also the first Ranger to hit for the cycle on the road.

At the time, Matthews was just the 14th player in MLB history and seventh in the American League to hit for the cycle in natural order. He was also the 19th switch-hitter to hit for the cycle.

“Everything lined up tonight,” Matthews told reporters after the game. “I expected to have a good year, but it’s been so much more fun than I thought it would be.”

Ian Kinsler
April 15, 2009

On Jackie Robinson Day at the Ballpark in Arlington, Kinsler -- donning Robinson’s No. 42 instead of his own No. 5 -- put together a remarkable 6-for-6 game to become the fourth player in club history to hit for the cycle. Robinson himself hit for the cycle on Aug. 29, 1948.

Kinsler collected five runs, four RBIs and 13 total bases, becoming the first player since 1900 to have a six-hit cycle in a nine-inning game. Additionally, he established a club record for hits in a nine-inning game, while matching the club records for extra-base hits (four) and runs scored (five) in a single game.

“It is more special to do it on Jackie Robinson Day," Kinsler said. "He’s the guy who could do everything in a game, hit triples, hit home runs, steal bases, score runs, do everything. It is weird that it’s Jackie Robinson Day and I’m playing second base, but it’s great it happened that way.”

Bengie Molina
July 16, 2010

Molina perhaps had the most fun cycle of any in Rangers history, accomplishing the impossible as a catcher at Fenway Park in the summer of 2010. Less than a month into his Rangers tenure, Molina became the 15th catcher in MLB history to hit for the cycle and the first Rangers catcher to do so.

Molina singled in his first plate appearance and doubled in the fourth inning. In the top of the fifth, with the bases loaded, he drove one to dead-center off of Boston pitcher Fernando Cabrera for a grand slam, leaving Molina a triple shy of the cycle. He was the ninth player overall and the first catcher with a grand slam as part of their cycle.

It seemed impossible for a player like Molina -- a stocky catcher -- to hit a triple to accomplish a cycle. But the baseball Gods were in his favor. Molina launched a line drive over the head of Red Sox center fielder Eric Patterson, who could have made a play on the ball. But as the ball bounced around the outfield at Fenway, Molina booked it to third base for a standup triple to complete the cycle.

"Pigs have flown in Boston, Massachusetts!" Rangers TV broadcaster Josh Lewin screamed on the call.

Molina left the game with tightness in his right quadriceps after the triple, but history had already been made.

Adrian Beltré
Aug. 24, 2012

On Aug. 23, 2012, at Rangers Ballpark against Minnesota, Adrian Beltré had a big night at the plate (3-for-5 with a two-out homer), but he was ultimately a triple shy of the cycle. He wasn’t about to let that happen again.

The following day, Beltré collected a first-inning triple off of Twins starter Samuel Deduno, kicking off what would be a redemptive night. He proceeded to hit a double in the second inning, and a home run in the fifth and a single in the seventh for his second career cycle, the first coming with Seattle on Sept. 1, 2008, ironically in Arlington.

• Players who hit for multiple cycles in their careers

He became the first player in the Modern Era (since 1900) to cycle in the same park as both a home and visiting player.

"I love this ballpark," Beltré said after the game.

Alex Rios
Sept. 23, 2013

When Rios recorded his first career cycle, he didn’t even get to share the spotlight alone. The Rangers outfielder needed just four at-bats to complete the cycle as Texas starter Derek Holland tossed a complete-game shutout on the other end to carry the Rangers to a 12-0 win over the Astros.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was only the fifth time in the last 100 years that teammates had hit for the cycle and pitched a shutout in the same game, and the first instance since the 1998 A’s (Jimmy Haynes/Mike Blowers).

Shin-Soo Choo

July 21, 2015

On a summer night at Coors field, Choo became the first Korean player to complete the cycle in MLB.

It was a slug fest for the Rangers that night, as seven of the eight starting position players collected hits. Choo entered the ninth inning 3-for-4 with a single, double and a home run. Then, facing Rockies reliever Rex Brothers, Choo crushed a ball deep to center field that bounded off the wall and away from Charlie Blackmon as he raced around the bases.

Adrian Beltré
Aug. 3, 2015

At 36 years old, the future Hall of Famer hit the third and final cycle of his career against the Astros at the Ballpark in Arlington. As such, Beltré became just the fourth player in MLB history with three career cycles (joining Long John Reilly, Bob Meusel, Babe Herman) when he completed the feat.

All three of Beltré’s cycles came at the Ballpark in Arlington -- twice as a Ranger and once as a Mariner -- and he is the only player to have all three of his cycles in one ballpark. He is also the first player with multiple cycles in a Texas uniform.

"When you're fast like me, it's not that difficult," Beltré joked with reporters after the game. "This is special, but when you play for a long time, you start to accumulate some stuff. I didn't expect to be hitting cycles around this age. ... It's a nice compliment today."

It was the Rangers’ second cycle in a span of two weeks (Choo), the first time in club history they posted multiple cycles in a single season.

Carlos Gómez
April 29, 2017

Gómez completed his second career cycle (first with the Rangers) at the Ballpark in Arlington in 2017, becoming just the fifth player in history to go at least eight years between cycles (per the Elias Sports Bureau), joining Joe Cronin (1929-40), Joe DiMaggio (1937-48), George Brett (1979-90) and Chris Speier (1978-88).

After doubling, singling and tripling in his first three at-bats, Gómez then hit a first-pitch home run off reliever José A. Váldez in the 7th, becoming the fourth Ranger to complete his cycle in just four plate appearances (joining Molina, Beltré in 2012 and Rios).

Wyatt Langford
June 30, 2024

At 22 years, 228 days, Langford became the youngest player in franchise history to hit for the cycle (prev. 22 years, 332 days -- McDowell) and the second rookie (also McDowell), when he turned on the jets at Camden Yards in an 11-2 win over the O's. In his first full year of professional baseball, Langford put up a career-best four-hit, four-RBI game to complete his cycle. It was just the second cycle hit by a visiting player at Oriole Park at Camden Yards (est. 1992), joining Toronto's Cavan Biggio on Sept. 17, 2019.

Langford was also just the eighth player in the last 75 years to cycle within his first 60 career games, and the first since Elly De La Cruz on June 23, 2023. Additionally, he became the first player in MLB history to have a cycle, a grand slam and an inside-the-park homer in his first 60 career games.