Marlins still looking for franchise's first cycle
Miami is the only team in the Majors that has not had anyone hit for the cycle
ST. LOUIS -- When J.T. Realmuto stepped to the plate in the eighth inning of Wednesday's 14-6 Miami win over Boston at Marlins Park, he was a double shy of becoming the first player in club history to record a cycle. He ended up striking out.
Two days later, Matt Kemp of the Padres completed the trick against the Rockies. With San Diego now having a player hit for the cycle, the Marlins are the lone team in the Majors without having someone collect a single, double, triple and home run all in the same game..
"With all the great talent that has come through, with the speed and power packages that have come through the history of the Marlins, it's one of those strange phenomenons in baseball that you go, 'Wow, you've got to be kidding me, somebody has had to produce that,' " manager Dan Jennings said. "Hopefully, it will be one of these guys who produce that, maybe before the year ends."
The Marlins, who entered the league in 1993, will play the 3,613th game in their history on Sunday. They are still cycle-less.
The Padres saw their drought end at 7,444 games Kemp made history.
In Marlins' history, the franchise has won two World Series titles, had five pitchers throw no-hitters. Hanley Ramirez was a batting champion in 2009, and Giancarlo Stanton won the home run crown in 2014.
Four different players have been Rookie of the Year -- Dontrelle Willis (2003), Ramirez (2006), Chris Coghlan (2009) and Jose Fernandez (2013). Jack McKeon was Manager of the Year in 2003.
Yet, no cycle.
Realmuto, the 24-year-old rookie catcher, actually has flirted with hitting the cycle twice this year. On July 11 against the Reds, he was a triple shy.
In the eighth on Wednesday, he lifted a ball that fell just foul down the right field line. A few feet over, he may have had his double.
"That's all I was thinking about," Realmuto said. "I went up there with the intention I was going to swing, no matter what."
Jennings says it is just a matter of time before the Marlins can celebrate a cycle.
"It will give some of these guys something to shoot for," Jennings said. "We had a shot at it the other day with J.T. With the talent on this ball club, and certainly the speed component that some of these guys have, that chance will present itself again."